Finding You - An Original Pokemon Generation 5 Fanfiction
by kauvera
Summary: When Dominic Mond, a revered Pokemon researcher, left his Johto home five years ago, he left behind a young daughter. Now, 14-year-old (oc) Luna Mond has set out to find him in Unova - while taking her first steps of her Pokemon journey. Will the mysterious Team Tenebris, a gang of terrorists, stop her from her goals? Or will they hold the answers she's seeking?
1. Chapter 1 - Wake-up Slap

_AN: Hello! Welcome to Finding You! Before we begin, two things: 1, apologies for the formatting errors. I uploaded this on deviantART before uploading it here, so some of the html coding is different, and I've had to go through manually and reformat some things...I may have missed some things, however, so apologies in advance. 2, this story was started two years ago; it's definitely not the worst story out there, but it's not the best, so while it's not spectacular I hope you'll enjoy it regardless. Cheers!_

_**Finding You – Chapter 1**_

**Wake-up Slap**

_"I love you."_

_I remember the day my father left clearly. It was raining._

_My father had always loved the rain._

_"Please don't go, Daddy," I whimpered. "Please!"_

_He ruffled my hair. Like his, it was snowy white. I got my looks from him. "I'm sorry, honey. But I have to go." He knelt down and met me at eye level. "Tell you what. In a few years from now, when you become a Pokémon Trainer, meet up with me in Unova. Because that's where I'll be. Promise?"_

_I held out my hand and we linked pinkies – childish, yes, but back then pinky promises were dear to me at age nine._

_"Promise," I whispered. "When I become a Trainer, I'll meet you in Unova."_

_My father hugged me. "Then I'll see you there." He stood up, walked down the sidewalk to where his Pidgeot was waiting, and climbed on. "Goodbye, Luna. I love you."_

_Then he flew away, a shower of golden brown Pidgeot feathers raining down in his wake. I stood alone on the porch, my little pinky finger still extended._

_That was the last time I saw him._

* * *

Luna stood on the deck of the huge ship called _The Dewgong's Horn_, gripping the edge railing as if her life depended on it. Nervously she looked down into the water below. The deep blue waves were lapping harmlessly against the side of the boat, but she still felt nervous.

At the dock, her neighbors from Cherrygrove were still waving. "Bye, Luna!" they yelled. "Good luck in Unova! Call us when you reach the nearest Pokémon Center!"

Luna waved and nodded, but was still feeling uncertain. _Maybe I can still go back,_ she thought. _It's not too late to get off. I can tell them that that I'm not ready to go yet. They'll understand. We can just go back to Cherrygrove and –_

The last of the passengers boarded and she heard the crackling of a loudspeaker as the captain spoke from his cabin. "That's it, folks! We will now depart, from Olivine City, Johto to Driftveil City, Unova. I hope you enjoy the trip!" The huge ship started to move from its place at the dock, and Luna ran to the back of the boat, watching as her neighbors grew smaller and smaller until she couldn't see them anymore.

_I guess that's it,_ Luna thought. _There's no turning back. I am officially on my way to Unova to become a Pokemon Trainer! _

* * *

_My name is Luna Mond, and I'm fourteen years old. People can normally recognize me because of my snow white hair and blue eyes. My hometown is Cherrygrove City, Johto, and I just left home to become a Trainer in Unova! _

She paused in her writing and looked down, tapping the end of her pencil against her cheek as she thought. Was this the right way to start a journal entry? Shrugging, she kept writing.

Luna was sitting on the deck of the large cruise ship, on a bench by the side. People were walking and talking all around her, but she hardly noticed them.

_My dad left home when I was nine_, she continued writing. _He's a Pokemon scientist and researcher, and he had to leave all those years ago when he and my mom got divorced. Before he left, he and I made a promise to meet each other in Unova, and that's just what I'm doing now. I'm sure I'll be able to find him – even though I hear that Unova is insanely huge. In the meantime, I'm going to meet Professor Juniper in Nuvema Town and get a starter Pokémon – and then, I'm going to start my journey._

_Mom is still at home. She didn't want me to leave, but I told her I had to. She hasn't been speaking to me since. She and I haven't had a good relationship since the divorce...I hate to say it, but I'm happy to be out of the house._

_Right now I just left Olivine City and I'm on the boat. It'll take three days to get to Unova, from what I can tell. After I get to Driftveil City, which is where the boat gets off, I'm meeting someone who's going to fly me to Nuvema Town and meet Professor Juniper. After that, I'm on my own. _

_I'm so, so nervous! I'm sort of shy and I've never been that good at making friends. And despite the fact that Dad is an expert, I don't know all that much about Pokémon and battling..._

_I hope this journey will help me – I mean, I gave up my high school education just to become a Trainer, so I had better succeed! _

_Don't worry, Dad...I'm finally coming! I'm finally going to meet you! _

"What's that?"

Luna nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the voice. It was a boy. He was wearing sunglasses, so she couldn't quite see his face; however, he had scruffy brown hair and was wearing a red-and-white baseball cap with a Pokeball imprinted on the front. He had a blue jacket and black pants, and Luna noticed for the first time that he had a small green snakelike Pokémon perched on his shoulders.

"Um...this is my journal," Luna explained shyly. "I just started it today."

"Cool." The boy started petting his Pokémon. Luna liked how he didn't really ask any questions.

She observed the Pokémon on his shoulders for a couple of minutes before she finally worked up the courage to speak again. "Um...what kind of Pokémon is that? I don't think I've ever seen one before..."

The boy smiled. "This is a Snivy. They're one of the starter Pokémon from Unova."

"Oh," she said. Inwardly Luna felt like an moron. _Does he think I'm stupid for not knowing that already? Am I acting like an idiot? Oh, I wish I knew what to do!_ "So...where are you from?"

"I'm a native of Unova," the boy said. "I was just visiting Johto on business. How about you?"

"I'm from Johto," Luna said. "From Cherrygrove City. West of New Bark Town. Yeah." _Ugh, why can't I just sound cool and confident like he is? I'm feeling so flustered!_

"So what brings you to Unova?" the boy asked, taking what looked to be a Pokémon treat and giving it to his Snivy.

"I'm going to be a Pokémon Trainer," Luna said. "Or at least, I hope I will. I'm going to find my dad. He's in Unova right now. He left a few years ago when my parents got divorced. I haven't talked to him since. I think my mom has been intercepting his letters." _Just be quiet, Luna! He doesn't care about that! It's like I'm telling him my life story or something!_

"I'm sure you'll find your dad," the boy said, ignoring the fact that she was now blushing crazily from embarrassment. "Unova's pretty big, but the people are friendly and you'll probably have lots of help." He leaned back and stretched out his legs.

"So...um...I'm Luna," she said finally, not knowing any other way to introduce herself. "Luna Mond. What's your name?"

The boy grinned. Luna really wished she could see his eyes behind those sunglasses. "You can just call me...Blair."

"Blair?" she repeated. "Okay. Nice to meet you, Blair." She smiled and hoped that she didn't look like a fool.

"So, Blair," Luna said, "are you just starting out on your Pokémon journey? Or do you even want to be a Trainer at all?"

Blair grinned as if there was something he knew and she didn't, or that he found something ridiculously funny. Luna wondered what he thought was so hilarious.

He patted the Snivy's head. "Nah. I've been a Trainer for...well, I guess you could say a little while."

"Neat!" Luna exclaimed, suddenly more interested than before. "How many badges do you have?"

Blair was about to reply when they suddenly heard a loud crashing sound coming from the inside of the boat. After that, there was some shouting and then another crash. Both Blair and Luna turned to look at each other, then got up to go and see what was going on.

They were in the hallway of the boat. Luna couldn't tell what was happening, although the thumps and crashes hadn't subsided. Then the door to the kitchen flew open and hit the wall behind it with a loud _bang_. Out stepped the chief cook, his face purple with rage.

"Someone get that Pokémon out of here!" he screamed. "He's caused a mess in my kitchen!" Luna ran to the door and peeked inside just as a small bear-like Pokémon bounced over her head and made its escape down the hallway.

Even though it was only a brief glimpse, Luna was able to tell that the Pokémon was a Teddiursa. It had had the usual crescent moon on its forehead, but its paws and belly had been stained with all sorts of various foods and unidentifiable substances.

Then she actually got a look inside the kitchen. Everything was a mess. Pots and pans were all over the place, as if the cook had tried to throw them at the Teddiursa. Various messes of food were carelessly splattered around the floor and counter, and in the corner a pot of soup was bubbling over.

"Wow!" Blair exclaimed apparently not interested in the mess. "That was a...Teddiursa, right? They aren't native to Unova...I want to catch it!"

"Catch it, kill it, _I don't care!_" the cook raged. "Just keep it out of my kitchen!" Then he broke down into loud, unmanly sobs. He was quite obviously having a bad day.

"Come on, Luna!" Blair exclaimed. "Let's go!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him in the direction the Teddiursa had gone. She felt heat rising up into her cheeks but quickly tried to shake it away.

_This is the first time a boy has ever held my hand...oh, Luna, what are you thinking? _

Blair and Luna raced down the hallway after the Teddiursa. Eventually she had pulled her hand from his grip so that she could run faster. Luna thought they would never catch up to it, but then she caught a glimpse of a little brown rump disappearing behind the corner.

"That's the way out onto the deck," Blair whispered to her. "On the count of three, we both will run out there and chase it outside the doors. Then we can catch it without wrecking anything inside. Are you ready?"

"Um...yes."

"Okay. One, two, three!"

Blair and Luna ran out around the corner. The Teddiursa was cornered, trying to paw its way out the door. When it saw them coming it tried to run around them, but Luna flung the door open and Blair chased it through. They were finally out on the deck now, a safe place for a Pokémon battle.

"Alrighty then!" Blair whipped out a Pokeball and tossed it to her. "Go and catch it!"

"What?!" Luna exclaimed. "I thought _you_ wanted to capture it!"

"Well, that's what I thought too, at first, but I think you could use some practice handling a Pokeball before you start your journey, don't you think?"

"Oh, no. No, no, no, no, NO. You take it, Blair." She tried to give him back the Pokeball.

Blair refused. "Nope. I'm not doing anything until you try and catch that Pokémon." He pointed to the Pokeball. "That has my Snivy in it. I returned him to his Pokeball before we went to see what was going on in the kitchen. You can use him to weaken the Teddiursa."

Luna looked around. Most of the people that she had seen before were gone now, probably inside. She looked down at her hand. This was the first time she had ever held a Pokeball, ever tried to battle a Pokémon.

"Oh, all right then," she said, sounding more confident than she felt. She tossed the Pokeball. "Snivy! Go!"

In a burst of red light Snivy emerged. It calmly studied Luna with a smug expression.

"Snivy, Blair is having me battle with you for the time being. So, um, I want you to attack that Teddiursa! Go ahead!"

Snivy sat there, looking completely puzzled.

"You have to command it to use some moves," Blair explained. "Right now my Snivy knows Tackle, Leer, Wrap and Vine Whip. Just give it your best shot!"

"O-okay." Luna looked at Snivy, then the defiant little Teddiursa. It was glaring at her with a look that could have melted rock. She had a feeling that this would be a tough battle.

"Snivy, use Leer!" she commanded. Snivy glared an intimidating look at the Teddiursa. It shrank back.

"Now use Tackle!" Luna exclaimed. Snivy ran towards the Teddiursa to ram into it. Teddiursa retaliated with a swipe of its paw that sent Snivy falling back a few feet.

She hadn't expected the Teddiursa to fight back like that. "Blair," she said, beginning to panic, "what should I do?"

"Just keep doing what you were doing, and try to work out a strategy," Blair told her patiently. "Wild Pokémon, or opponent's Pokémon for that matter, are always going to fight back. As long as your Pokémon can still fight it's still good for the battle."

_Ohh, I don't want to do this!_ she wailed silently. _I'm so afraid that I'll mess up!_

She shook her head. _But I can't let Blair see how much of a wimp I am,_ she thought, now more determined. _I just have to do my best! If I can't even get through this battle, then how will I be able to find Dad?_

"Snivy," Luna said, "Use Vine Whip!" Green vines shot out from Snivy's back and snapped at the Teddiursa. Teddiursa scratched at them but was getting weaker, she could tell.

"Finally," Luna declared, "end with your Wrap attack!" The vines suddenly wrapped themselves around Teddiursa and held it in the air. Teddiursa struggled but couldn't escape.

"Um...now what?" Luna asked Blair.

He tossed her a Pokeball. "Here, this is empty. Throw it at the Teddiursa."

She did as he instructed. Teddiursa disappeared inside the Pokeball, leaving Snivy's vines empty. Anxiously Luna watched the Pokeball wiggle as Teddiursa struggled to get out.

Once...

Twice...

Three times...

Caught!

"I did it," Luna murmured. She smiled. "I really did it!" she squealed happily. "Blair, I caught my first Pokémon!" She walked over to the Pokeball and picked it up, still feeling as if this weren't really happening.

_I battled a Teddiursa._

_I_ caught _it._

"Here, Blair," Luna said. She handed the Pokeball with Teddiursa in it to him. "This is yours. I couldn't have done it without your help."

Blair pushed it back to her. "No, you earned it. That little guy is yours."

"But you helped me so much! If it weren't for you I would've just frozen up or something or been too nervous to battle! Plus, you lent me your Snivy to battle with..."

"The pleasure was mine," Blair said, sweeping his cap off with an exaggerated bow. "'Cause I mean, c'mon, everyone needs help in the beginning. It's not a crime to depend on others for help once in a while."

Tears of happiness started forming at the corners of her eyes but Luna brushed them away before he could see. _I still can't believe I did it. My journey has finally started._

_This is only the first of many captures I'll make. _

_Dad…I'm finally coming!_

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2 - Glare

_**Finding You – Chapter 2**_

**Glare**

_14-year-old Luna Mond set off from small town Cherrygrove City to journey in Unova! Her goal? To find her father, Dominic Mond, who left her and her mother five years ago. After boarding the ship, Luna met a boy named Blair who helped her in capturing a runaway Teddiursa – her first ever Pokemon capture!_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, First Entry_

I'm a failure. I'm such a failure. To my research, to myself, and most of all…my family. I don't know how I was able to do it – divorce Ellen, that is. It all feels so surreal, like a dream…no, a nightmare.

My dear daughter, how can I ever repent for leaving you behind? Your eyes, your beautiful blue eyes watching me as I left you on the porch…they'll always haunt me. They were filled with such sadness and betrayal…how can I ever face you again?

What's the point? What am I supposed to do now? My research? It feels pointless now. Train? Why would I? I have no interest in challenging the Pokemon League. Not anymore…

Is life really so meaningless, once you lose everything important to you? What purpose do I have left?

Oh Luna, my daughter, my baby…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for leaving you behind…

* * *

That evening Luna was still feeling overjoyed with her capture of Teddiursa. She sat in her room on the edge of her bed, gripping the Pokeball in hand, still wondering just how in the world she had managed to pull it off. Outside, the sun was setting, although dark clouds on the edge of the horizon indicated a coming storm.

_It's all thanks to Blair,_ she thought happily. _I still can't believe that I caught my first Pokemon before I even got to Unova!_

She sat on the bed gazing happily at her Pokeball for a few moments before she suddenly realized that she should probably let the Teddiursa out. Tentatively she pressed the white button on the Pokeball.

As soon as the Teddiursa had formed on the floor next to her, the first thing it did was promptly bite her on the ankle. Hard.

"Ouch!" Luna exclaimed. It didn't let go. "Ow, OW! L-let go!" Lifting her leg (and lifting the Teddiursa with it), she gave a strong kick. The Teddiursa flew through the air and slammed into the wall across the room. Then it was still.

_Oh no!_ Luna thought. _I didn't...I didn't just kill it, did I? Oh please, God, don't let it be dead! I could never live with myself if I ended up killing a Pokemon..._ Nervously she hurried over to the Teddiursa, once again feeling flustered. _I can't believe I messed up so soon..._

"I'm so, so sorry," Luna murmured. "I'm really sorry. Please be okay!" The Teddiursa slowly opened its eyes and glared up at Luna. Luna gulped. Those eyes, those two smoldering black coals, almost seemed to pierce right through her.

Then Luna realized how much of a sap she was being. (although she was quite the sap in general). _What are you doing, Luna?_ she thought, scolding herself sternly. _It's a _Pokemon!_ A small one at that! I shouldn't be intimidated! Get a hold of yourself!_

Most of the time, when Luna reprimanded herself, it usually didn't help.

Meanwhile, as Luna was having an argument with herself inside her head, Teddiursa had gotten up and moved to the window. Nosing open the latch, it pushed the pane open and hopped out.

Luna snapped back to reality. "Oh no!" she wailed. "I can't believe I was so stupid! I should have locked the window..." She poked her head outside just in time to see Teddiursa scampering away on the deck.

_I'm such an idiot,_ Luna thought. _I guess there isn't much else I can do now. I have no choice but to go after it!_ Without further hesitation she quickly opened the door and ran out into the hallway of the ship.

An announcement suddenly sounded over the loudspeaker. "Attention, passengers!" boomed the masculine voice of the captain. "It seems as if we've got a storm coming ahead. It's nothing to worry about, but I advise that you all stay away from the deck – if we get some rain, it might be slippery on the deck, and the waves might get kind of rough. We don't want anyone going overboard! Well, that's it. Have a good evening, everyone."

Then the loudspeaker clicked off.

Luna stole a nervous glance out the window. _If Teddiursa is still out on the deck...then...I'll just have to risk going out there. Ohh...I really don't want the staff to get mad at me..._

Then Luna shook her head. _But...I really don't want anything to happen to it..._

Luna was so deep in thoughts of how she would be able to re-capture Teddiursa that she almost didn't notice Blair coming her way. She screeched to a halt just in time before running into him.

"You're in a hurry," he said with a smile.

"Y...yeah, I am," Luna said. She was anxious to hurry after Teddiursa but couldn't let Blair know that it had gotten away. _I'm sure he could help, but...I don't know what he'd think of me then!_

Luna noticed the newspaper under his arm. "What's that?"

"Ah, nothing really. Just a Unova newspaper."

_He's still wearing those sunglasses,_ Luna thought, _even indoors. I wonder why?_ Then she remembered that she had to hurry after Teddiursa before it caused more trouble like it had earlier that day.

"I'm sorry, Blair," she said apologetically, "but I'm really in a hurry right now...I'll talk to you later!" Without bothering to explain further (she probably would have ended up being even more flustered than she already was anyway) she took off running past him.

Blair stood, puzzled, for a moment before letting out a sigh of relief. _I'm glad she didn't ask to see the paper,_ he thought. _She might have recognized me._ He pulled out the Unova Times and looked at the front page, with his picture imprinted on the front. _I'm not quite ready to show my real identity yet..._

* * *

"Teddiursa!"

Luna spotted the rump of the small brown Pokemon rounding the corner. She pursued it onto the deck. To her surprise, it really was dark now. The clouds had completely covered the sun and the waves were getting bigger.

She was panting from exhaustion; Luna wasn't used to running so much. "Why do you keep running from me?" she asked Teddiursa wearily. It shot her a cold look.

Luna flinched. "And why do you keep glaring at me like that?" she asked softly. "I don't know why you hate me so much...I promise, I'm not an enemy! I don't want to hurt you!" She was shaking as she said those words. For some reason she felt truly intimidated by this Pokemon that was considered hers.

Teddiursa continued to bristle hostilely at Luna, and suddenly something dawned on her. She wasn't the only one Teddiursa had directed its hateful feelings towards. It also had been causing trouble for the cook and had fled from Blair earlier that day.

_Maybe this Teddiursa has had a bad experience with humans in the past,_ Luna thought. _Maybe...maybe that's why it's being so hateful?_ It wasn't like Luna to jump to conclusions but at the moment it seemed like the most reasonable explanation.

"Listen, Teddiursa," Luna said, speaking softly as to not alarm it. She kneeled down. Thunder was rumbling; she thought she felt a rain drop on her cheek.

Back when her father was still around, he taught Luna that Pokemon are capable of understanding human speech, and that they should be spoken to as equals.

"I promise," she said, "I'm only here to help you." Then she added, "if you really don't want me to be your Trainer, then...I won't." She swallowed. "I'll let you go again. I don't mind. If I'm to be a Pokemon trainer, then I have to be kind to my Pokemon – and keeping them against their will is not the way to do that!"

Teddiursa pricked its ears as Luna spoke. Now a light sheet of rain was falling.

"I'm trying to find my dad," Luna continued. Despite the coming storm and the blowing wind around her, Luna felt strangely calm, as if speaking to Teddiursa like this soothed her. "He's somewhere in Unova. The whole reason I'm becoming a Trainer is so that I can find him. And...I'd really love it if you could come with me."

Teddiursa looked at her again, but this time it wasn't a glare. It seemed to recognize that Luna was being honest.

"I – w-whoa!" The waves were a lot rougher now, and the boat was rocking back and forth. Luna found herself stumbling to the side, clutching the rail desperately. Teddiursa wasn't so lucky. The violent rocking caused the Teddiursa to fly through the air. Luna ran to the other side of the boat just in time to see it land with a small splash into the gray waters.

"Teddiursa!" Luna screamed. All she could see of it now was a small brown head bobbing up and down in the water. _I have to let the ship staff know,_ Luna thought anxiously. _They'll have rescue equipment or something that they can use..._

Then suddenly Luna realized this had to stop.

_I've only just started my journey, but already I'm depending on others,_ she thought. _When I was little, I always ran to my mom or dad when I needed something...even here, on the ship, I practically had to have Blair take my hand and lead me through my first Pokemon capture!_

_I...I need to act for myself!_

Almost feeling as if something else had taken over her body, Luna let go of the railing and then, without warning, recklessly jumped off the edge of the ship.

"Cold" does not even begin to describe how the water felt. Luna's mind felt blank for a moment as her senses tried to comprehend such shock. She remembered to start treading water just before she started to go under the surface.

"Teddiursa!" she shouted. "W-where are you?" Already she was starting to shiver violently. It may have been the beginning of spring, but winter's chill had not yet left the ocean, where the deep depths made it difficult for the sun to warm the water.

Teddiursa had been flailing desperately for a bit but it was a naturally land-oriented Pokemon; despite its efforts it began to sink into the waves.

Luna swam over to it and scooped it into her arms. For a moment Teddiursa struck out and scratched her neck with its sharp little claws; but then, as if knowing it had no other choice but to trust Luna, it relaxed.

Luna and Teddiursa sat there in the water for what felt like forever, but in reality it was only a couple of minutes, as moments later lights shone down on them from the ship and a rescue team in a small lifeboat came to rescue them.

_How did they know we were down here?_ Luna thought, but already she was becoming tired. By the time the rescue team had gotten her back on the boat, she and Teddiursa had both fallen asleep.

* * *

The ship nurse stepped outside of the room. Blair was waiting for her.

"Is Luna okay?" he asked.

"Yes, she's fine," the nurse said with a smile. "As is her Pokemon. I have no idea how they both ended up overboard though...oh well." She winked. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"Oh no, nothing like that," Blair assured her. "I just met her today."

"Well, she'll be fine. She and the Teddiursa just need a good rest." The nurse walked away.

The truth of the matter was that Blair had followed Luna to the deck and watched her exchange with Teddiursa; when he saw her go overboard, he was the one who ran to alert the crew.

He was surprised. Right off the bat she had come across as a quiet girl; he would never have anticipated her to try anything like that.

_But I guess she's like me,_ Blair thought, _in that we'll both do anything for Pokemon._ He smiled to himself and headed back to his room. _Maybe she'll be a better Trainer than I thought._

* * *

Two days later Luna stepped off the boat, taking in the fresh air of Unova. Something about this place felt different from Johto, besides it being much larger. Just the very atmosphere about it felt fresher, newer.

She stretched and turned to Blair. She had hung out with him for most of the boat ride, and while she was there she learned that he was sixteen years old and he had a lot of other Pokémon besides Snivy – but that was it.

He taught her a lot about the Unova and the Pokémon in the region while she was on the boat. Luna was surprised that he knew so much about Pokémon, even though he had only apparently been a Trainer for a little while. One thing that puzzled her was that the whole time, she never saw him take off those large sunglasses. _I wonder why..._

Luna looked down at the Teddiursa in her arms. She had decided to name him Chewy, since that's all he ever seemed to do – chew things. Whether it was some sort of material object like her shoes or something more painful, such as her ankles, Chewy always tried to get his teeth on anything he could manage – although Luna didn't mind. They had formed a mutual relationship of respect towards each other, and Luna hoped to keep it that way.

"Wow, this place is huge!" Luna murmured. "I hope I don't get lost." _I'm a little bit nervous now..._ She turned to Blair.

"I-it was nice meeting you, Blair," she said, suddenly feeling shy again. "I had a lot of fun on the boat ride. Where are you going now?"

He shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure. I might go back and visit my mom or something."

"Well, I'm off to Nuvema Town," Luna said. "I'm meeting Professor Juniper there. I'll probably see you later –"

She cut herself off when she noticed about three men in dark suits hurrying up to Blair. They were all fairly big and she felt small as they stood beside him.

"Mr. Touya, sir," one of them said, "you can't just go running off anywhere you like; Trainers have been waiting to challenge you. You're the Champion of the region, sir! Please take more responsibility with your job!"

Luna stared at Blair – Touya – dumbfounded. He sighed and took off his sunglasses. She suddenly recognized him from all the Unova newspapers she had read and subscribed to back in Johto – he hadn't been recognizable before.

"What?" she exclaimed. "You're...Touya Black, Pokémon League Champion of Unova?!"

_To be continued..._


	3. Chapter 3 - Fly

_**Finding You – Chapter 3**_

**Fly**

_Luna encountered obstacles trying to bond with her new Pokemon – it was stubborn, mean, and won't even let her get near it! But when Teddiursa went overboard during a storm, Luna recklessly dove in to save it, and as a result, the two have bonded. After the boat ride, Luna starts to say her farewells to Blair before learning the surprising truth…_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Second Entry_

Why am I even bothering to write in this journal? No one will read it anyway. I will die, and when I do, my thoughts and feelings and ideas will die with me.

I guess I'm depressed, but right now I just feel…numb. My family was my life. Even my research…I can do without it if it just meant being with them. But no. I don't even know where it came from – out of nowhere, Ellen just wanted to divorce. I thought we were happy. But apparently, she disagrees.

I feel like the life I've led so far has been meaningless. I've accomplished nothing worthwhile; my Pokemon psychology research? What does that even matter now?

If I died, it wouldn't even have an impact. It wouldn't even make a ripple in this ocean of a world…

Hmm. Wait. What am I saying? If I make no impact, that's my fault. Perhaps it's my duty to go out and MAKE it worthwhile…

* * *

Luna was in shock. _Blair is actually...Touya Black, champion of the region?! How...why..._

Touya grinned a little. "Surprised, huh? If I don't disguise myself, I get swarmed when I go out in public. Every day I have to challenge Trainers who are trying to take my title, and I like taking a break once in a while. So I headed for Johto for a little vacation, but I guess my bodyguards here didn't like it..."

"Mr. Touya, sir," one of the men said patiently, "you can't just take a break whenever you feel like it."

"Well, I just did, didn't I?" Touya smiled again. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you my real name, Luna, or who I really was. I just wanted to relax a bit."

So Blair wasn't even a real person. Just a cover name.

"It's...it's okay," Luna said, starting to feel shy again. "But what about your Snivy?"

"Oh, him?" Touya patted the Pokeball at his belt. "I caught him wild a little while ago. Even though the rest of my team right now is really strong, this guy is better for catching weak Pokémon."

"Oh..." Luna wasn't sure what to say.

Touya waved as he started walking away, his bodyguards following close behind. "Good luck on your journey, Luna. I hope you find your dad!"

With that, he was gone. She wasn't even able to bring myself to say goodbye. Her shy and quiet personality had once again taken over.

_Well,_ she thought, _I guess that's it then..._ She turned to get a better look at Driftveil City. She felt a little overwhelmed. _I heard that Unova was more urban than Johto, but I wasn't really expecting this_. In this one city alone there were more people and buildings than she had ever seen in her life.

She straightened her shoulders.

_I guess I'll go find the Pokemon Center,_ she thought at last.

"I'm supposed to meet a guy named Mr. Holden," Luna explained to Chewy as she started walking. "He's going to fly me to Nuvema Town, where I'll be able to talk to Professor Juniper and finally start my journey. I think I'm supposed to meet him at the Pokemon Center, so...let's go!"

Luna started walking through Driftveil City. She held Chewy close to her, as if afraid of losing him in the crowds.

_I heard that Driftveil is the third largest city in Unova,_ Luna thought. _So of course it's going to be somewhat big. But I've never seen so many people in my life before!_

Luna rounded a corner and immediately noticed the Pokemon Center. She couldn't help gaping a bit. It was so much larger than the one she had been to sometimes in Cherrygrove; it had a second floor and seemed more like a super center than a Pokemon Center.

_But that has to be it,_ she thought. _It has the red roof and everything. Well, there's not stopping me now. I'm going in!_

Luna walked into the Pokemon Center carrying Chewy, unsure of what to expect. It was a surprisingly nice atmosphere. Straight ahead, of course, was the counter where the nurse would take your Pokemon to heal them, as well as a PC sitting in the corner. To the right was what appeared to be a mini shop, and to the left was a corner for Trainers to relax.

Luna tentatively walked up to the counter. "Um...excuse me," she said. The nurse turned around to her with a smile.

"May I use your computer?" Luna asked.

"Certainly!" the nurse answered cheerfully. "The PC is for any trainer who needs it."

"Thank you very much," Luna said. "And, ah, also, would you happen to know where the PokeMart is? This is my first time in Unova and I don't really know my way around..."

The nurse smiled again. "Here in Unova," she explained, "the PokeMarts are inside of the Pokemon Center. See there in the corner?"

"Oh," Luna said, feeling a blush creep its way into her cheeks. "I-I see. Thank you." She hurriedly walked over to the computer and started it up.

Luna opened up the video chat and called the Cherrygrove Pokemon Center with the computer; that was just one of the many capabilities of the computers at the Pokemon Center. She waited a few moments until the Cherrygrove nurse answered.

"Hello, this is Cherrygrove Pokemon Center, located in Johto...oh, Luna! Where are you?"

"I just got into Driftveil City," Luna explained. She smiled. It was nice to be able to talk to a familiar face again. "I –"

"Hang on a second, Luna," the nurse said. Luna saw her step away from the computer for a moment and heard her voice say something. Soon a whole group of familiar faces crowded in front of the computer. They were all of her neighbors and acquaintances from Cherrygrove.

"Hey Luna!" said one. Luna recognized him as one of the clerks from the PokeMart. "How'd you manage not to get lost?"

"Uh, well, that is –"

The clerk laughed at her flustered expression. "I'm just teasing! You knock 'em dead out there, okay?"

"Whoa!" one of the young boys exclaimed. "You have a Pokemon already!"

"I caught him on the boat," Luna said shyly. She glanced down at him as he growled at the screen and added, "Watch out, he bites!"

The Cherrygrove citizens laughed.

The nurse's face appeared on the screen again. "Take care, Luna," she said warmly.

"Thank you," Luna said. "Um, by chance, is my mom...?"

The nurse shook her head. "She hasn't stopped by the Pokemon Center at all."

Luna felt disappointed but didn't ask further. _I guess Mom is still mad at me..._ "Well, it was nice talking to you guys," Luna said. "Bye, everyone!"

A loud chorus of goodbyes filled her ears as the screen clicked off.

Luna smiled. It was nice to have come from a small community, where everyone knew you and wished you well.

Luna looked down at Chewy, who was still sitting in her arms. "You're getting heavy," she said to him. "Mind if I put you in the Pokeball for now?"

Chewy growled but didn't protest as Luna returned him to the ball.

She started walking towards the PokeMart counter to buy some items when she heard the phone ring – the normal one, not the computer video chat. The nurse picked up and after a moment, the nurse covered the receiver with one hand and called out, "Is there a Luna Mond here?"

Surprised, Luna hurried back to the counter and put the receiver to her ear. "H-hello?"

"Is this Luna?" said a male voice. "Hi, this is Jeremy Holden. I know that I was supposed to fly you to Nuvema Town from Driftveil on my Staraptor, and I was heading on the way. However, poor Star here got injured during the storm and I'm afraid it would strain him too much to try and fly now. I'm really sorry."

Luna thought her heart was going to stop. _I just keep running into problems, don't I?_ she thought wearily. "Um...is there anything you can suggest?"

"It'll be at least a week before Star is fully recovered. You can wait until then or try and find another lift. Again, I'm really sorry about this."

"No...it's okay," Luna told him, trying not to cry. "I-It's fine...thanks for calling."

"Good luck."

"Thanks." _Click._

_I told Professor Juniper over email that I would meet her tomorrow...she's booked with appointments for all the other days. _

_You've got to be kidding me...my journey can't end so soon!_

Luna felt hopeless. _Walking there myself would take too long...what am I going to do...?_

Out of nowhere, Luna felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She spun her head around. A fairly tall girl who looked to be in her mid-teens was smiling kindly at her. She appeared to be quite physically fit – her arms were lean and tan, strong from years of physical exertion. Her most distinguishing feature, however, was her hair – it was a shocking pink, and tied into a spiky ponytail. Combined with her golden eyes, she looked…_different_, but not in a way that Luna could really consider good or bad.

The hand lifted from Luna's shoulders. "Sorry to startle you. I couldn't help but overhear your phone call, and, well, you sounded like you wanted to cry. Is there anything I could maybe help with?"

Taken aback by this stranger's random show of kindness, Luna wasn't quite sure what to say other than inform her of the situation. "W-well, I need a flight to Nuvema Town, and the person who I was going with, well, his Staraptor got hurt, a-and…"

"That bites," the girl interrupted, "but if you don't mind, I think I can help." She smiled. "See, I happen to have a bird Pokemon on me, and I could fly you there. I mean, I understand if you wouldn't want to – you don't even know me – but it doesn't sound like you have many options."

Under any other circumstances, Luna wouldn't have even considered it. She didn't consider herself the brightest bulb in the box, but even she knew going with strangers was a bad idea. However, this girl was roughly her age, and Luna decided it was safe to assume that she wouldn't end up kidnapped.

"That would be wonderful," Luna told her gratefully. "Thank you so much."

"No prob. Lemme go outside for a sec, release my Pokemon, and then we'll climb on!"

Luna thanked the nurse again for letting her use the phone, then headed outside after the girl. The Pokemon, a Staraptor, was already prepared and ready to go, with the girl gesturing politely for Luna to board first.

"Your Staraptor is handsome," Luna told the girl politely. She meant it, too.

The girl smiled a kind of knowing smile that Luna wasn't really sure how to interpret. "Thank you, but…he's not mine."

Before Luna could ask what she meant by that, the girl had the Staraptor take off. Luna gasped in alarm and clung to the girl's waist anxiously.

"Relax!" the girl shouted over the sound of the wind as they spiraled into the clouds. "You won't fall. I'm an experienced flier. Just enjoy the view!"

Tentatively Luna loosened her grip a slight bit and worked up the nerve to glance down. The sight was enough to take her breath away. Below her, the scenery flew by in a flow of blurred colors and shapes.

_That's amazing,_ Luna thought. _Everything is so small up here, and yet, it makes me feel like the whole region is even bigger than I expected._

"I told you it's cool!" the girl shouted upon Luna's silence. "Now, just hang tight and enjoy the ride!"

* * *

When they landed, the sun was beginning to set, causing the trees to cast unearthly shadows on the ground. Luna dismounted dizzily, still feeling a bit overwhelmed by the exciting flight that she had just experienced.

She turned to the girl. "Thank you so much," she said shyly. "I'm really sorry to have made you go out of your way..."

"Don't mention it." The girl shrugged indifferently. "I like to lend a hand sometimes."

"Okay...but really, thank you –"

The girl grinned. "I'm telling you, it's okay. You're welcome. I'm just glad that I could help someone who needs a ride. Now, this is just me guessing, but you're here to get your first Pokemon, right?"

"Ah, yes…"

"Well then, good luck. Being a Pokemon Trainer will be the most exciting experience of your life – heck, even better than flying.

"Anyway, I have to go. Good luck…and who knows, maybe I'll see you around sometime?"

"Yeah, maybe." Luna smiled. "Bye! And thanks again!"

"You're welcome!" With a quick whisper to the Staraptor, the girl and her bird were airborne again, flying away into the sunset. Luna watched them go before she started to walk away, only then realizing that she hadn't even gotten her name.

_Way to go, Luna,_ she thought, embarrassment flooding red into her cheeks. _That was rude of me. Oh well…it's not likely I'll ever see her again anyway, right? I guess it's okay. I can't focus on that right now anyway – I need to prepare to meet with Professor Juniper._

* * *

"Ah, Luna! You came early!"

"Yes ma'am," Luna said shyly. "I hope that's okay..."

"Of course it is," Professor Juniper said, waving her hand as if to dismiss the issue. They were standing at the entrance of Professor Juniper's lab. "The early Swellow catches the Wurmple, as they say."

"Um...Professor Juniper? I have something to tell you..." Luna took out Chewy's Pokeball and released him into the open. He stood on the floor looking defiantly up at the young female professor. "I captured my first Pokemon on the boat ride over...is that okay?"

Professor Juniper stood studying Chewy for a few moments, a look of surprise on her face. "Ah, he's a Johto Pokemon, right? Well, Luna, technically speaking you aren't supposed to capture a Pokemon without a license..."

Luna paled. _I didn't just break the law or anything, did I?_

"...but this should be fine. We'll have this little guy registered as your first Pokemon on your license – which I'll give you first thing tomorrow morning!"

Luna breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much, Professor Juniper," she said gratefully. "That means I don't need to take one of the three Starter Pokemon then, right?"

"Not necessarily." Professor Juniper winked. "If you'd like, I'll still give you one of my three."

"Oh, that would be fantastic!"

"Then it's all settled." Professor Juniper smiled. "But the question is, do you have a place to stay for the night?"

"Ah, no, I don't –"

"Well then, Luna, you're welcome to stay in the lab for the night." Professor Juniper gestured towards the rooms in back. "We'll arrange something."

Luna found herself smiling back. "Thank you."

* * *

_Tomorrow should have been the day I was getting my first Pokemon – but instead, it'll be my second._

Luna sat on the makeshift bed that the Professor and her assistants had prepared, scribbling in her journal. Chewy was curled up next to her, chewing on his paws and letting out little growls occasionally.

_Blair – no, Touya told me that the three starter Pokemon here in Unova are called Oshawott, Tepig and Snivy. That last one was the one he had. Wow...it's still hard to believe that I met the Pokemon League Champion of Unova! I wonder what it would be like, having to challenge new Trainers every day to defend your title. I bet it gets tiring._

_As of right now, I haven't decided on whether or not I'll be taking the Gym challenge...maybe I will after I get in touch with my dad. I don't know. All I know is that I'll be taking my Pokemon with me to protect me along the way as I start my search. I hope I learn a lot!_

_Anyway, that's it for now! Oshawoot, Tepig or Snivy...I wonder which one I'll choose?_

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4 - Double Team

_**Finding You – Chapter 4**_

**Double Team**

_After arriving in Driftveil, Luna learned that Blair was not actually Blair at all, but rather, Touya Black, Champion of the Unova region! After they parted ways, Luna made her way to the Pokemon Center, where she learned her flight to Nuvema Town had to be cancelled. Unsure of what to do, she came across a stroke of good luck when a complete stranger, a teen girl, offered her a flight on her Staraptor. Now that Luna's arrived, she just has to choose her starter Pokemon…_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Third Entry_

Today I entered Castelia City, determined to begin my quest to make my life worthwhile. I was greeted by an overwhelming metropolis of crisp business suits and crowded sidewalks. I could feel adrenaline pumping through my veins just from walking the streets.

My dear Luna, this place is huge, so it's no surprise that there would be some…unsavory characters. But coming from a small town like Cherrygrove, I couldn't help but feel that the Pokemon were more well-mannered than the people, who stared straight ahead and never gave so much of a wave or apology when bumped into. I believe that people and Pokemon could learn a lot from each other.

I guess I'll start my search. Wish me luck, dear daughter. Even if this journal never reaches you.

* * *

"Well then, Luna, take your pick."

Luna looked down at the three Pokeballs on the table. According to what Touya had said, in each of these Pokeballs was Tepig, Snivy and Oshawott. Each of the Pokeballs was slightly different than the norm; on each was a flame, water droplet or leaf insignia to distinguish the three Pokeballs.

_I wonder which one I should choose?_ Luna thought. Chewy tiptoed at her feet, trying to get a look at the counter.

"Take your time," Professor Juniper advised. "You don't want to make the wrong choice."

_Tepig is a fire type. I don't think I'd want to start out with a fire type...if something went wrong, I could accidentally set the forest on fire!_

_I saw Touya's Snivy on the boat, and I already know its basic moves, but...something tells me that I want something a little different._

_I guess that leaves...Oshawott!_

Luna picked up the Pokeball with the water droplet on it and pressed the button twice. It enlarged, then opened.

As soon as the red light faded, it left a small otter-like Pokemon stood before her. It turned towards her and smiled.

Luna was immediately in love. "It's so cute!" she squealed. "Oh, how adorable!" She bent down and scooped it into her arms.

"I'm going to name you...Xander," she gushed. "Your full name can be..._Alexander._ Yeah, I like that! It's a big name for a little guy, but hopefully you'll grow into it." Xander let out a low purring sound from his throat.

"I'm glad you like him!" Professor Juniper said warmly. "Is he your final choice?"

"Oh, definitely," Luna assured her.

"Then that settles it." Professor Juniper walked to another table and picked up two items. "These will help you on your journey. This is a Pokedex; it automatically records the information of any Pokemon you capture and knows some basic info about Pokemon in the wild as well. And this is your Xtransceiver."

Luna blinked. "Cross- transceiver...?"

"Yes, Xtransceiver. It's a powerful communication tool that lets you contact and speak to other Trainers. I already have registered myself in it, so you can contact me at any time if you need to. Oh, that's right, and here are some Pokeballs to start you off!"

"Wow," Luna said, "you're giving me so much...are you sure this is really okay?"

Professor Juniper laughed. "Of course! It's my job." She winked. "Good luck on your journey, Luna, and remember: have fun. The next town is Accumula Town, and it shouldn't take long for you to get there."

"Thank you so much," Luna said. "I really appreciate everything you've done for me!"

"Don't worry about it. Go get 'em!"

Luna waved to Professor Juniper as she headed out of the lab, but then paused. "Oh, um, by the way...Professor Juniper? Have you ever met my dad, Dominic Mond?"

The Professor nodded and smiled. "Ah, yes. I know Dominic. I haven't seen him in years, but he's a smart man and cares a lot about Pokemon."

Luna's heart beat a little faster. "Would you…happen to know his whereabouts?"

Professor Juniper shook her head. "No…I haven't had any contact with him for a long time. I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine. Thank you!" Luna exited the lab and took a deep breath.

_Now it's official. Unova, Dad, here I come!_

* * *

The walk through Route 1 was surprisingly fast. So far Luna had not encountered any wild Pokemon, and already she could see some buildings in the distance that she knew was Accumula Town.

Xander and Chewy were walking alongside her, although neither of them appeared to be getting along very well. Luna had quickly come to realize that their differing personalities clashed. Xander was a jolly and cheerful kind of Pokemon, while Chewy preferred to be grumpy and had his own unspoken preferences. If someone failed to meet his standards, he didn't like them.

_I don't know what I'm going to do when I meet a wild Pokemon,_ Luna thought. _Will I send out Chewy or Xander? It's too bad that they already have a rivalry going on..._

Then Luna realized that she had no idea what moves either of them knew. More out of curiosity than anything, she took out her Pokedex and aimed it at Chewy.

"Teddiursa, the Little Bear Pokemon. Teddiursa tends to lick its paws because their paws absorb honey. Teddiursa's current known moves are Scratch, Leer, Fury Swipes and Covet."

_Okay,_ Luna thought. _What about Xander?_

"Oshawott, the Sea Otter Pokemon. Oshawott attacks and defends using the scalchop shell on its stomach. Oshawott's current known moves are Tackle and Tail Whip."

"Not too shabby, you guys," Luna commented, trying to act upbeat and set the example for her team. "I think we can make this work! Now, we're almost to Accumula Town, and –"

Luna stopped when she heard a rustling. In front of her was a patch of tall grass. _Is a Pokemon about to appear?_

Out from the grass stepped a Patrat.

"Oh, my first wild Pokemon!" Luna exclaimed excitedly. "Um, Chewy! Go!" Chewy shot Xander a smug look and jumped out in front of Luna.

"Okay, Chewy, this is our first battle! Use Scratch!"

Chewy jumped at the Patrat obediently, but to Luna's surprise he swiped multiple times. _Fury swipes!_

"Chewy, I said use Scratch, not Fury Swipes!" Luna scolded. "Try using Scratch again." Chewy shot her a look and, to her surprise and disappointment, used Fury Swipes once more.

When the Patrat was defeated, Luna looked at Chewy. "Bad boy!" she scolded. "I wanted to capture it! Why didn't you listen?"

Chewy turned away.

Luna sighed. "Look, I know you probably think you know better than me, but I'm the Trainer here! You need to listen to what I say, okay?" She glanced at Xander. "Just for that, I'm using Xander to battle the next wild Pokemon I see. How does that sound?"

Chewy glared at her with the terrifying look she had grown used to. But she didn't flinch. "Chewy," she said quietly, "just remember who jumped off a ship to rescue you from drowning."

Chewy's fur fluffed up and a snarl formed on his face, but he didn't cause any more trouble.

Xander, appearing to be trying to lighten the mood, cheerfully bounded on ahead. Luna had to run to catch up. Chewy grumpily followed behind, obviously feeling bitter.

_We're almost to Accumula Town,_ Luna thought happily. _And it's only mid-morning! Professor Juniper was right; it really hasn't taken long to get there. If I'm lucky, maybe I can even make it to Striaton City before nightfall. Things are really looking up after all! _

Lost in her thoughts, Luna didn't even notice that both her Pokemon were out of sight. It took her a moment before she looked up, startled. _They're gone!_

"Chewy?" she said aloud, cautiously. "Xander? Where are you two?"

There was no answer. Luna's heart started thumping. _I don't want to be left alone in the middle of the tall grass! What if another wild Pokemon comes out?_

Luna decided to stop and listen for a moment to see if she could hear them. Despite her worry, her surroundings felt surprisingly peaceful. There were trees outlining the edges of the route, and their leaves occasionally rustled a bit in the soft wind. The warm sunlight felt good on her shoulders, making her relax.

_Just stay calm, Luna,_ she told herself. _This isn't so bad. In a quiet area like this it'll be really easy to find those two again._

Sure enough, after a few minutes she heard faint battling sounds in the distance. _Did they run into a wild Pokemon?_ Luna ran towards the sounds.

To her surprise, it wasn't a wild Pokemon they were battling, but each other. Chewy and Xander were facing off, their dislike of each other obviously coming off at an all-time high.

Luna stood and watched them for a moment, shocked. It appeared as if Chewy was the one who had started the fight; he was attacking Xander with wild, flailing attacks. Xander was dodging continuously, ducking and holding up its scalchop to deflect the blows.

"What do you think you two are doing?!" Luna cried. "Stop it! Stop it right now!" Xander paused for a moment to look at her, but then Chewy swiped at him again and forced him to keep fighting.

Luna wearily took out the two Pokeballs from the bag at her side and returned both Xander and Chewy to their respective balls. _I've had enough of their fighting._ she thought. She sighed. _I guess Pokemon training is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. They each have their own personalities. I don't know how I'll manage to train them._

With that, she walked the rest of the way into Accumula Town without her Pokemon at her side.

* * *

"Would you like to heal your Pokemon?"

"Yes please."

"Okay, I'll take them for a little while. We'll let you know when your Pokemon are ready to be picked up."

"Thank you very much."

Luna stepped away from the counter at the Accumula Town Pokemon Center as the nurse took Xander and Chewy away inside of their Pokeballs.

Accumula Town had turned out to be a fairly small location. It was bigger than Nuvema Town had been, but it was still a tight-knit community, without many sites to see or places to go. The only place of interest was a small café, where Luna had eaten lunch earlier. She sighed heavily.

_I don't know what to do,_ Luna thought. _The two of them seem to hate each other so much...I really want this all to work out. How can I get them to get along, or at least tolerate each other?_

Out of the corner of her eye Luna noticed something bright pink, and did a double take when she realized that it was the same girl who had given her a ride. She was sitting calmly on one of the benches, feeding a Vulpix. _I never would have guessed in a million years that she'd be here. Now's my time to get her name…and she seems to have a variety of Pokemon, so maybe she can give me some training tips!_

Luna mulled about the Center for a few minutes before she finally worked up the nerve to walk over to the girl.

"Hi there," Luna said shyly.

The girl's eyes widened in recognition, and she smiled. She stood up.

"Fancy seeing you here! I didn't think we'd run into each other again. I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself right last time." She stuck out her hand towards Luna. "I'm Zoe Sanders. Oh, and this is Dixie." She gestured towards the Vulpix. "And you are...?"

"Luna," she replied. "Luna Mond." She took the girl's hand and they shook.

"Sooo," Zoe said. She sat down in one of the chairs in the corner and kicked out her legs. "Um. What's up?"

"Well, I'm actually having a little trouble," Luna explained she sat down in the chair beside her. "My two Pokemon aren't getting along, and I've barely started my journey. Do you have any advice?"

"Aren't getting along, huh...?" Zoe scratched her chin thoughtfully. Dixie walked over and jumped into her lap, immediately curling up and going to sleep.

"What I would do," Zoe said at last, "is put them together. What I mean by that is that you should make them work together to get something done. Maybe then they'll figure out that the other one isn't so bad. After all, there's nothing wrong with teamwork."

_That might just work,_ Luna thought, awed that Zoe had thought up a solution so fast. "But earlier, when I was coming to Accumula Town, the two of them ran off and got into a battle with each other. If I try to make them work together, how can I know they won't just start battling again?"

"Remember that you're the Trainer," Zoe said firmly. "Pokemon should be our friends, but if you're training them for battle then you also have to make them obey."

"Okay..."

The nurse who Luna had talked to earlier approached them, holding a tray with the two Pokeballs on them. "Your Pokemon are fully recovered and ready to go!"

"Thanks," Luna told her. She stood up and turned to Zoe with a smile. "And thank you too, Zoe. I'll try what you said. Hopefully it works."

Zoe winked. "Oh, believe me, it will. And if it doesn't, well then...Say, what's your Xtransceiver number? You have one, right?"

Luna was slightly surprised at the question; she had almost forgotten about the Xtransceiver. _That's right! I can talk to other Trainers with it!_ "Yes, I have one."

"Let's swap numbers."

They did so, and then they parted ways. Luna bought a few items at the Pokemart before she went back outside. Now she was heading out of Accumula Town to Route 2, on the way to Striaton City.

_All right,_ she thought. _This is it. I need to make sure Chewy and Xander get on track with each other. But how should I start?_

As if on cue, Luna thought she spotted something moving in the bushes. _Maybe it's another wild Pokemon!_

Sure enough, out stepped a Pokemon. It was one that Luna had never seen before. It was terrier-like in appearance, small and adorable. It calmly regarded her with its dark eyes.

"Oh, wow, it's cute!" Luna exclaimed. She took out the Pokedex.

"Lillipup, the Puppy Pokemon. The long hair covering Lillipup's face is an excellent radar, which senses conditions in the surrounding area."

"Lillipup, huh? I'd like to catch you!" Upon hearing this, the Lillipup pricked its ears but did not try to run away.

Luna's hand moved to the pouch where Xander and Chewy were in their Pokeballs, but then she had a different idea. Instead, she reached for the pouch that held her empty Pokeballs.

_It probably won't work to throw one on the first move,_ Luna thought, _But I at least want to try!_

Luna threw the Pokeball at the Lillipup. The puppy Pokemon disappeared inside of it. It wiggled once, twice, three times...and then it was caught.

Luna blinked at the Pokeball at the ground. _That was...surprisingly easy. I guess I do have lucky moments sometimes!_ She picked up the Pokeball and let Lillipup out.

"Hi there," Luna said to him. "My name's Luna, and I'm going to be your new Trainer! You don't mind me catching you like this, do you?" The Lillipup wagged its tail.

"Oh, good! Hey, you remind me of a little Scottish Terrier...how about I call you...Laddie?" Laddie's tail kept wagging.

Then Luna had another idea. "Listen," she said to Laddie, "I have two other Pokemon, named Chewy and Xander. They aren't getting along very well...maybe you can help me out?"

* * *

Luna was walking along Route 2, with Xander and Chewy by her side. "Try and get along, you two," she told them. "I don't want any more mishaps before we get to Striaton City. So –"

Suddenly Laddie jumped out of the bushes, growling and snarling in a way that indicated he was going to attack. Luna blinked in surprise. Xander and Chewy immediately got on to the defensive.

"Oh no!" Luna cried. "What should I do?" Laddie stepped a few paces closer.

Chewy and Xander both looked as if they were going to attack, but then noticed the other and turned away. They obviously thought that if they had to fight alongside the other, they'd rather not fight at all.

"Chewy! Xander!" Luna cried. "Go after it!" They didn't move. Panic started to set in. _They really aren't doing anything! What if...what if..._

Then Laddie leapt towards Luna. She let out a shriek as he moved to bite her arm.

All of a sudden Laddie was batted away by Chewy. They rolled on the ground for a few seconds before Chewy leapt away. Laddie moved to attack again but was interrupted by a Tackle attack from Xander.

Luna watched as Xander and Chewy worked together to battle Laddie. Eventually Laddie admitted defeat ran away into the grass.

Chewy started to go after him but Luna stopped him. "It's okay," she said. "You can let him go." Reluctantly Chewy stayed put.

"That was amazing, you two," Luna praised. "See, you guys actually make a really great pair!" Chewy and Xander looked at each other in surprise.

"I like it when you two get along like that," Luna said. "I know you two are really different, but let's try to make it work, okay?" Xander gave a small nod and Chewy seemed to reluctantly acknowledge her words.

_Laddie did a good job,_ Luna thought. _I'm glad he was willing to work with me so easily! I guess even Pokemon can be good actors...I'll have to return him to his Pokeball later. Thanks to him, Chewy and Xander are okay with each other now! I can just tell that he'll be a great member of my team._

_I know that there will be many more challenges awaiting me as I search for my dad. But I feel more confident that I can overcome them now!_

"Striaton City, here we come!"

_To be continued..._


	5. Chapter 5 - Water Gun

_**Finding You – Chapter 5**_

**Water Gun**

_Luna chose her starter Pokemon – an Oshawott named Xander – from Professor Juniper's lab. However, Xander and Chewy didn't seem to get along too well, and as a result they ended up fighting each other! When Luna reached Accumula, she had the pleasant surprise of running into the same girl who had given her a ride, whose name turned out to be Zoe. Zoe gave Luna some advice, and after capturing a Lillipup named Laddie, Luna devised a strategy to get the two to get along. Now, she continues on her way to Striaton…_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Fourth Entry_

Two weeks have passed since my previous journal entry. I've been spending time getting to know the city – its schedule, its sights, the gossip…it's much different than Cherrygrove, Luna.

One aspect of this city that stands out to me the most is the rumor of street battlers, delinquent Trainers who battle recklessly on the streets and alleys, causing all sorts of havoc and destruction. Thus far the police have been unable to do anything – just the sight of a blue uniform sends the punks scattering.

Maybe they wouldn't flee so easily at the sight of me. Perhaps I could put a stop to their battles, or at least get a better idea of the situation. Heh, imagine that – your old dad, mild mannered professor gone superhero! My journeying in Kanto may have been fruitful after all. I have all my Pokemon with me – I think I can handle it.

* * *

She couldn't have been more than seven or eight. Her curly brunette hair was put up into two mid-high pigtails, swinging around her face in the most adorable way. Sporting a lacey pink dress and white Mary Janes, she was the very image of what a sweet little girl should look like.

But this little girl was not as innocent as she appeared, as Luna discovered on her trek through Route 2. Luna had been spending her day following the path and occasionally battling the wild Pokemon that she encountered, doing her best to train her Pokemon and get used to battling.

"Excuse me," Luna said politely, trying to make her way past the little girl. The youngster stood right in the middle of the thin forest path, refusing to budge. Luna, feeling slightly irritated, made an attempt to squeeze her way past between the girl and the bushes lining the edge of the trail.

But the little girl grabbed the bottom of Luna's shirt. "You can't go past," she said stubbornly. "No one can go past me unless they have a Pokemon battle with me."

Luna blinked. "What?"

The little girl looked almost proud of herself. "I don't let anybody go past me unless they battle me. And win."

"I don't want to battle," Luna said nervously.

The little girl tipped her head curiously to the left. "Aren't you a Pokemon trainer? You have Pokemon." She pointed to Chewy, who stood at Luna's feet.

"Well...I guess I'm a Trainer," Luna said. "But I don't want to battle people or do the Gym challenge or anything. I'm just traveling through the Unova region because...well, it doesn't matter. Um, bye...I-I guess..." Luna turned around and headed back in the direction in which she came.

When she had gone a little ways, she sighed and sat down on the side of the road. _I guess I could have just forced my way by,_ Luna thought. _But there must be some reason why that little girl wants to challenge anyone who walks past. Besides, I don't want to be mean. What should I do?_

Chewy didn't appear to care about Luna's dilemma. He strayed a few feet away from her and started rummaging around on the ground.

_I heard that it's a rule among Trainers that you can't turn down a challenge to a Pokemon battle unless there's an emergency,_ Luna thought. _If that's true, then I need to be prepared for that to happen with people who are a lot tougher than that girl. _

_I'll go back. With my Pokemon at my side, I'm sure we can do it!_

* * *

"Can't I please go by?"

"_No._" The girl's face twisted into a stubborn scowl. "You have to battle me first!"

Luna had gone back to where the girl was still standing, this time having worked up the courage to accept her challenge. However, the pit of her stomach felt like it was twisted in a knot.

_This is my first-ever battle...how do I expect to win? She's so confident, so she must have a lot of skill..._

"Fine," Luna said. "I'll battle you...but on one condition. If I win, you have to let me pass, and you have to stop challenging anyone who comes by. This is a public road, you know."

The little girl narrowed her eyes and studied Luna for a moment, as if she were trying to decide whether her proposal was worth it. After a moment she nodded. "Alright. Then let's get started –"

"Wait a second!" Luna blurted. "Um...I'd like to know your name first." She held out her hand. "I'm Luna."

The little girl confidently took Luna's hand. "I'm Ashley. And there's no way I'm going to lose!"

Luna and Ashley stood several yards apart from each other in a clearing. Luna's heart was thumping rapidly in her chest. More than anything, she didn't want her new Pokemon companions to be hurt.

"Each person will battle using three Pokemon," Ashley said, all business. "Whoever knocks out the other person's three Pokemon first wins. You ready?"

Luna gripped the Pokeball she held in her hand. _Yes._

"Then go!" Ashley tossed a Pokeball in front of her. "Pansage!"

A small green-and-brown monkey burst out of the Pokeball with a flash of red light. It looked up at Luna with imploring eyes.

_Pansage,_ Luna thought. _I don't know a lot about Pokemon types yet...guess I'll just have to give it a shot._

Luna threw her Pokeball out into the clearing. _I hope this isn't a mistake!_ "Xander! Come on out!"

The energetic Oshawott bounced out of the Pokeball and quickly looked at his surroundings, taking in the scenario of the battle. Immediately he got onto the defensive, as if he already had instincts on how to act in battle.

Luna and Ashley both shouted their commands at once.

"Pansage, use Scratch!"

"Xander, use Tackle!"

Pansage was faster. It dashed by Xander and slashed out a paw as it went. However, Xander quickly retaliated by tackling it to the ground. They both scuffled around for a moment before jumping away from each other.

"Pansage," Ashley commanded, "Leer!"

Pansage's eyes began to glow and he glared directly at Xander. Xander shrank back for a moment in fear; Luna realized that now he wouldn't be able to defend himself as well.

"Xander! Don't let it intimidate you!" Luna exclaimed, although she had to admit she was feeling a bit intimidated herself. Ashley's spoiled little girl exterior completely transformed into that of a mature young lady during battle. However, mature as she may be, Luna noticed that she didn't seem to have much of a bond with her Pansage; there weren't many words of encouragement or affection as the battle continued, only orders.

Xander recovered quickly from his fear and moved to tackle Pansage again. But once more Ashley's Pokemon was quicker; and this time the consequences were much more severe. Instead of the simple scratch attack it had used before, Pansage let out a vicious vine whip.

_Snap!_ Luna gasped and instinctively winced as she heard the loud _crack_ sound from the vines hit Xander. Xander let out a squeak of pain as he went tumbling backwards into the ground at Luna's feet.

"Xander!" Luna cried. "Are you okay?" Xander lied still for moment, then painfully heaved himself to his feet on shaky legs. There was a distinctive red mark on his body where the vine whip had hit; that single attack had left him in critical condition.

"I don't want you to get hurt any more than you already are," Luna said worriedly. "Xander, return–"

But Xander shook his head and stood his ground. Luna's heart constricted in her chest as she watched Xander bravely keep trying. _There must be something I can tell him to do...something that will help him win this..._

Luna's mind was scrambling for an answer when she suddenly remembered Xander's Pokedex entry: _Oshawott attacks and defends using the scalchop shell on its stomach._

_The scalchop...maybe that'll be the key to helping Xander win this._

Ashley did not praise Pansage for the well-executed move, but instead just plowed on. "Pansage, finish it with another vine whip attack."

"Xander," Luna said, "defend yourself with your scalchop!"

As Pansage moved to strike again, Xander flung the scalchop out in front of him and deflected the vines. The two Pokemon moved back and forth in a deadly dance, Pansage mercilessly whipping at Xander with its vines and Xander continuously deflecting them.

Luna's strategy worked. Pansage may have been quicker than Xander, but Xander had more endurance. The green monkey Pokemon tired quickly, and the moment it slowed down Xander took the opportunity to tackle Pansage to the ground for a well-earned victory.

"Xander, you did it!" Luna squealed. Ashley glared down at her Pansage.

"How is that possible?!" she fumed, returning Pansage to its Pokeball. "I had the type advantage!"

_Type advantage?_ Luna thought. _What's that?_

"Panpour!"

Ashley released another Pokemon into the clearing. For a moment Luna thought it was another Pansage, but this Pokemon had blue on its body, and it appeared to be a different type.

Luna knew better than to keep Xander out on the field. "Xander, you did excellent work. Good job. Return!" She held out the Pokeball to return him, but then noticed something was wrong. "Xander?"

Xander had moved a short ways and looked like he was coughing up water. Luna felt alarmed watching him; was he more seriously injured than she thought?

But then Xander looked up and smiled. "Osha!" He turned and shot a strong stream of water at a nearby tree.

The Pokedex reacted to this. "Oshawott has now learned Water Gun."

_Water gun!_ Luna thought in amazement. _That should come in handy for later._ "Alright, Xander, in you go. Nice work." Finally she was able to return Xander to the Pokeball.

_Who should I use next? I guess I'll send out Chewy._

Chewy had occupied himself on the sidelines by sharpening his teeth on any odds and ends he could find. When Luna turned to him, he bounded eagerly into the fray and was immediately on the defensive, the fur on the back of his neck starting to rise as he let out an intimidating growl.

"Chewy," Luna said, finally feeling as if she were getting the hang of battling, "Use Fury Swipes!"

Chewy launched himself at Panpour and flailed furiously at it. Panpour, in turn, (upon Ashley's command) dodged and sent Chewy flying with one strong strike.

Luna thought that Chewy would be discouraged, but the feisty Teddiursa was far from it. Rather, Luna noted that he seemed enraged. Chewy jumped to his feet and glared at Panpour with his toughest glare.

"Chewy, use Scratch!"

Chewy rushed at Panour and gave a hard swipe to its cheek. Panpour retaliated in a similar manner. Luna realized that, for the most part, they were matched in strength. _This might turn out to be a long battle..._

Meanwhile, Ashley was thinking of what she could do to win.

_My big brother gave me these Pokemon,_ she thought, clutching her Panpour's Pokeball with a determined fist. _He trained them for me and made them strong. So how come I'm already losing my first battle? He said I could win! _

_I...won't...lose! And if I do, I'll just have him get me some more!_

As the battle continued, Luna noticed that Chewy seemed more agitated as Panpour refused to go down. But no matter how many hits he took, Chewy still stood his ground.

_Chewy has a big ego,_ Luna thought with a small smile. _He's not going to lose easily. But he and Panpour seem to have an equal level of strength and endurance...how can I handle this?_

Then Luna remembered that she had another Pokemon. "Chewy, return for now!" she directed, returning him into his Pokeball. "Now, Laddie!"

This was Luna's first time battling with Laddie, so she wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Aside from the little charade she had set up earlier with him to get Chewy and Xander to get along, she had no idea how much experience Laddie had. But nevertheless, she had faith in him, so she called him out.

"Laddie," Luna said, "use Odor Sleuth!"

Laddie held his nose in the air, tasting Panpour's scent.

"Panpour," Ashley commanded, "Scratch!"

Laddie dodged, and upon Luna's command bit Panpour. Panpour staggered back, obviously having taken the attack hard.

"Panpour!" Ashley snapped. "Don't lose yet! Use Lick!"

_Lick?_

Before Laddie could evade, Panpour dashed up to Laddie and gave a strong lick on the face. Laddie did his best to shake it off, but gradually his movements became stiffer and stiffer until he could no longer move.

_Oh no!_ Luna thought desperately. _What's happened to Laddie?!_

Ashley had a smug grin on her face.

Luna struggled to remember some of the things Touya had told her on the boat to Driftveil. _He said something about status problems...he said that sometimes, in battle, there can be other effects besides just physical damage. Pokemon can be poisoned, paralyzed, or put to sleep in battle._

_So that means...Laddie's been paralyzed!_

"Come on, Laddie!" Luna encouraged. "You can do it! Try Bite again!" But no matter how much she coaxed, Laddie could barely move. He was in no condition to fight now.

_Alright then._ Luna threw out Chewy's Pokeball. _Let's try Chewy again._

As soon as Chewy formed in front of her, he gave her a dirty look, as if angry that she had returned him so soon before.

_Uh-oh. I hope Chewy doesn't start acting up now..._

"Chewy! Scratch!"

Chewy blatantly disobeyed her and used Fury Swipes. Because it was such a wild attack, the move left him open, leaving Panpour to strike out at Chewy's belly. Chewy tumbled backwards but got back to his feet once again. Panpour appeared to be getting tired; which was understandable, since it had been battling continuously at two Pokemon – three, if you count Chewy twice.

"Chewy!" Luna scolded. "You have to listen to me! Try –"

But Chewy completely ignored her and moved in to bite Panpour with his sharp, pointy teeth. Fortunately, this time, Panpour was too tired to evade fast enough and Chewy finally knocked it out with his final strike.

_This is amazing,_ Luna thought. _I can't believe that I'm winning the battle. Only one more Pokemon left...!_

Ashley gritted her teeth. _This is my last Pokemon._ "Pansear!"

The last of Ashely's Pokemon, a red monkey-like Pokemon, exploded from the Pokeball and stood timidly at Ashely's feet.

_Chewy could probably handle it,_ Luna thought. _But I want to give him a quick rest. Laddie's still paralyzed, so...maybe I should try Xander._ She tossed Xander out from the Pokeball.

"Xander," Luna said, "Water gun!"

Xander gushed out a stream of water, using the newly-learned move. It hit Pansear straight on, and within that single hit the battle was over.

Luna stood there in shock for a moment. _I...I can't believe it. I wasn't expecting it to go so fast. I...I actually won!_

Ashley looked at her fallen Pansear in disbelief. "I don't believe it!" she cried. "How did I lose?! My big brother said he trained up these Pokemon for me! _I was supposed to win!_"

Luna watched as Ashley went into a tantrum-like state before her, tears of rage stinging her eyes, her tiny shoed foot stamping the ground in anger.

"I want a re-match!" Ashley screamed.

"Fair's fair," Luna said quietly. "You have to let me, and any other Trainers, pass by. That was the deal."

"B-but..." Ashley's shoulders were shaking from her little girl sobs. "I...I w-wanted t-to make my d-daddy proud!"

_Huh?_

"My daddy...is a P-pokemon trainer..." She sniffled. "I w-wanted to win...to m-make him happy...my brother trained these Pokemon and gave them to me, but they weren't good enough!"

Luna immediately felt understanding. She remembered the feeling of wanting to make her father happy, wanting to make him proud of his little girl. She knelt down beside Ashley.

"I have a daddy too," she said. "And I want to find him and make him proud of me too. But if you act selfish and force other people battle you, I don't think that'll make your daddy very proud.

"And as for your Pokemon..." Luna glanced at the Pokeballs Ashley had on the ground beside her. "You aren't really a Trainer unless you train your Pokemon yourself, right?"

Ashley just looked at her.

Luna sighed. "I'm new to Pokemon training too," she said. "In fact, this is only my second day. But I've gotten my Pokemon to trust me...maybe if _you_ trained your Pokemon instead of your brother, they'd do better in battle. My dad said that the best way to bring out a Pokemon's potential is through kindness and friendship. If that's true, you should try and bond more with your Pokemon."

Ashley sniffled. "I think I get it," she said.

Luna smiled. "Awesome. Well, I guess that means I'll be on my way then..."

"Wait a second..." Ashley dug through her bag. "Here, let me heal your Pokemon before you go. That way you don't have to go to a Pokemon Center before you get to Striaton City."

Luna blinked. "Wow...I didn't even know that there were healing items for Pokemon outside of Pokemon Centers..."

"My big brother gave me those too." Ashley took out a couple of what appeared to be small spray bottles and sprayed Luna's Pokemon with them, one by one. Laddie was soon able to move again, and all of them looked stronger.

"Thanks," Luna said to Ashley. She smiled. "I'll be going now. Good luck, and see you."

Ashley watched as Luna headed down the forest path. She hesitated a moment, but then waved as Luna slowly disappeared out of sight.

* * *

That night, Luna made a camp a little ways away from the main trail. She had fixed herself and her Pokemon some dinner from a couple of sandwiches she had bought at the Accumula Town café, and now she was ready to end the long day she had had.

_I still can't believe I had my first Trainer battle – and WON_, Luna thought. _I wonder what Touya would think. Speaking of Touya, I wonder how he's doing? He's probably really busy, since he's the Champion. It's still sort of hard for me to think that I actually met the Champion of the region and he actually talked to me!_

_Oh well. I guess I'd better get some sleep..._

She lied down in her sleeping bag and closed her eyes. She was practically dozing off when she jolted awake. The Xtranceiver was ringing; she had nearly forgotten that she had it. _Who could be calling?_ Tentatively she picked it up and answered. "Hello?"

Zoe's face appeared on the screen. "Heya! I just thought I'd call...oh, sorry, did I wake you up?"

"No...not really..." Luna sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Hi Zoe..."

"I was just calling to see if it worked. You know, if your Pokemon were getting along now or not."

Luna was more awake now. "Oh yeah, they did! Thank you so much. I have three Pokemon now, and guess what? Today I had my first Trainer battle, and I _won_."

"Wow, that's awesome!" Zoe exclaimed. Suddenly her Vulpix, Dixie, poked her nose into view of the screen. "Whoops, I guess I gotta go. Dixie's such an attention hog. Hey, you're heading to Striaton, right? You gonna try the Gym?"

"I don't know," Luna said honestly. "I didn't think I was, but after today..."

Zoe laughed. "Battling's fun, huh? I say go for it. I mean, if you're going to travel the region anyway, spice things up a little!"

"Hmm..."

After Zoe hung up, Luna thought about what she said. _I should be in Striaton by tomorrow. Should I try the Gym challenge? Maybe it'd be good for me. But I don't want to risk my Pokemon getting hurt; I only battled Ashley today because I needed to get by._

_I don't know what I'll do...but I guess we'll see tomorrow._

To be continued...


	6. Chapter 6 - Whirlwind

_**Finding You – Chapter 6**_

**Whirlwind**

_On the way to Striaton, Luna encountered a little girl named Ashley who refused to let anyone pass without a battle. Reluctantly, Luna had her first go at a Trainer battle, but to her surprise, she was able to win! With that victory behind her, Luna finally makes it to Striaton City…_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Fifth Entry_

I took a long walk downtown yesterday, casually hoping to find one of the street battles going on. Luck was on my side. Two boys were pitting a Riolu and a Darumaka against each other, and in between the embers and punches they were tearing up the sidewalk.

I didn't want to spook either of them, so instead of yelling at them for destroying public property, I asked, "May I watch?" both of them seemed wary, but didn't cease their battle, so I sat on a bench and watched. Truth be told, they weren't half bad – the little boy with the Riolu ended up winning, and I noted it was because of his clever strategies. After it ended, I applauded them, but then I said, "You realize that vandalism is against the law, right?"

The Darumaka boy ran, but I grabbed the Riolu boy by the collar before he could follow suit. He's only about your age Luna, maybe a year older. Anyway, I said, "Who started these battles? Who started grouping you together to have these fights? They're destroying the city, you know."

The boy kept squirming and yelling at me to let him go, but I refused to do anything until he answered me.

Finally he said, "I did. I started the fights. Leave me alone!"

But then I told him that I'd make a deal. I'd battle him, and if he won, I'd leave him alone – but if I won, he had to put a stop to the fights because of the damage.

The fight is tomorrow. I'm fairly confident that I'll win, but you never know – he had fire in his eyes.

* * *

When Luna first entered Striaton City, the first thing that ended up capturing her attention was, of all things, a newspaper.

She noticed it being sold in a vending machine on the corner of a sidewalk. Normally, Luna would have walked right past it, not caring about politics or comics or editorials, but the bold headline caught her eye.

**Notorious Terrorist Group Resurfaces!**

_Terrorist group?_ Luna thought in alarm. She had to know more. She dug out a handful of change from her pocket and purchased a paper, taking the time to open it and skim through the article.

_After being disbanded four years ago, Team Tenebris appears to have risen again, making their entrance with a bang after a small bombing incident in Mistralton City. No casualties or injuries were reported, but significant damage was dealt to the Mistralton Airport and surrounding areas…_

After she finished the article, Luna slowly folded up the paper and tucked it into her bag.

_I can't even understand how cruel people can be,_ Luna thought. _How someone could just go and…DO something like that, without any motivation except to hurt others…that's just…just…_

Silently fuming, Luna made her way down the street, ignoring the looks she received from bewildered passersby.

Striaton City had a nice, cozy atmosphere. It wasn't a small city by any means, but there weren't any towering skyscrapers or busy streets to clutter it up. It had the feel of a place where a couple might spend a vacation to relax.

Having cooled down after reading the article, Luna soon found the Pokemon Center and left her Pokeballs with the nurse to be healed up. Since Laddie was her newest Pokemon caught from the wild, she specifically asked the nurse to make sure he wasn't carrying any diseases or the like. After she dropped them off, Luna headed outside.

She decided that she'd take a walk through the city, maybe find a place for lunch, before she went back for her Pokemon. She also thought it would be good to locate the Gym – she still wasn't sure if she was going to take the challenge yet or not, but she still wanted to see it regardless.

But before that, something else had captured her attention. She had only gone a few streets away from the Pokemon Center when she saw a grand, old-fashioned building, standing tall and true with windows on two different floors and a sleekly tiled blue roof.

Luna stood taking in the sight of the building for a few moments before deciding to check it out. Finally feeling excited about exploring an entire city on her own, Luna trotted up the steps and carefully pushed open the door.

"Welcome to the Striaton Brothers Café, milady."

Luna almost had a heart attack at the sudden sound of the three simultaneous voices. A trio of butlers had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, all bowing at her with identical expressions of submissive faces. One had a burst of fiery red hair atop his head, the other long tresses of blue, and the final butler had his green hair cropped short.

"Uh..." Luna was still recovering from the surprise. "Hello there...this is...?"

"I am Cilan," the green haired young man said. "And these are my brothers, Chili and Cress." The red haired and the blue haired men both nodded in turn. "This is our restaurant, and we will be your servers today. May we seat you? Are you, perhaps, waiting on someone?"

Luna gradually started to relax. _A restaurant! I guess that means my lunch problem is solved..._ Her eyes took in the sight of the café's interior. Fancily crafted chandeliers hung from the ceiling, over round tables covered in silky tablecloths. On her left was a counter with a receptionist dressed as a maid, and in the very front of the room was a large red curtain. _Maybe they have shows here as well, for entertainment?_

The café seemed like it was far too fancy for Luna's budget, but already her willpower was beginning to cave. She decided that it couldn't hurt to splurge once in a while. "No, I'm alone today. Table for one, please."

Cilan smiled and lead her to one of the small round tables. Swiftly Chili and Cress set silverware and a napkin at her place, and set a fresh bouquet of flowers in the vase at the middle. Cilan handed her a menu.

"Take as much time as you need," the brothers said, all bowing once before scurrying off to other duties.

Bracing herself for sky-high prices, Luna was pleasantly surprised when she noted that most of the food seemed to be quite affordable. She decided on her order and mentioned this to Cilan when he reappeared.

"You have very nice prices here," Luna said politely. "I admit, I wasn't really expecting this place to be so..."

"Affordable?" Cilan finished. "Yes, our goal here is to provide our customers with a pleasant experience...and still have a full wallet when they're through." He grinned. "Are you ready to order?"

Luna placed her order as Cilan jotted it down. Then she glanced back at the red curtain. "If you don't mind my asking, what's behind that curtain?"

Cilan winked. "It's the source of entertainment for our guests. Perhaps you'd be interested to know that we have a show about to start right now. Cress has gone back to tend to it."

_A show!_ Luna thought excitedly. _This sounds interesting._

"Enjoy," Cilan told her, backing away as the lights dimmed and the curtains opened.

Luna instantly realized that behind the curtain was not a stage, but rather, a giant screen, much like one would find in a movie theater. It was showing footage of an indoor battling arena, and Luna quickly realized that what she was witnessing was a Pokemon battle, just like something she'd see on TV. Only this time, the footage was between a young boy and...Cress!

_I get it now!_ Luna thought suddenly. _This isn't only a café, but it's Striaton's Gym too! I'd heard that the Gym was run by three brothers, but..._

So there were cameras recording the battle in the arena, which Luna assumed was further back in the building or underground. That way Trainers could challenge the Gym and the customers in the café could be entertained at the same time. It was brilliant, really. Luna wondered if all Gyms had similar setups, and how one would go about taking up the challenge...

Already the boy's first Pokemon, a purple cat-like creature that Luna recognized as a Purrloin, was down. Cress appeared cool and confident as he gave his Pokemon, which Luna recognized as a Panpour, orders.

When Luna's food was delivered, she said thank you and then added something else. "Um...if I wanted to challenge the Gym...how would I go about doing it...?"

Cilan's eyes gleamed. "Oh, so you're a Pokemon Trainer, huh? I didn't take you for one at first glance."

"I'm still a beginner," Luna told him hastily. "I just started my journey a few days ago. My Pokemon are healing up at the Pokemon Center." A pause. "And I'm still not entirely sure if I want to take the Gym challenge at all," she added. "But...just in case..."

"All you have to do," Cilan told her, "is come in here and inform us that you want to take on the challenge. Then you'll get to battle one of us. If you don't mind my asking, which Pokemon did you get from Professor Juniper?"

"She gave me an Oshawott," Luna told him, slightly perplexed as to what relevance Xander had to the Gym battle.

Cilan smiled. "Then that means you'd be battling me." He gave a slight bow before turning away to tend to the other tables. "I do hope you'll consider taking the challenge."

Luna ate her food and watched the boy on screen lose the battle, lost in thought.

* * *

"Your Pokemon have been fully healed," the nurse told Luna a half hour later. "And we did a checkup on your Lillipup as requested. He appears to be in full health, but he's considerably older than either of your other Pokemon. It might be best if you take it easy when battling him."

"Oh," Luna said, surprised. _So Laddie isn't so young after all..._ "Thank you very much."

She headed outside with her Pokeballs in tow. Automatically she let Chewy out of his Pokeball, a habit she had developed during her journey. Chewy much preferred to walk around on foot than travel in a Pokeball. He glared at her as if to say, _Why didn't you let me out sooner?!_

"Sorry," Luna told him apologetically. "But it's important that you stay healthy." Chewy let out a huff of annoyance.

As they walked through the streets, Luna found herself lost in thought. On one hand, more than anything else, she just wanted to reunite with her father, and didn't want to waste any time challenging Gyms. On the other, Luna knew that if she showed him a couple of Gym badges, he'd surely be proud of her. She thought back to the day that he left.

_"Tell you what. In a few years from now, when you become a Pokémon Trainer, meet up with me in Unova."_

"I did tell him that I was going to become a Trainer," Luna said aloud to no one in particular. "Maybe I should challenge the Gym after all. I mean, that is what Trainers do."

It took her a few minutes before she noticed that she had wandered outside of the city and was in an area of old ruins. It looked like there had been a somewhat large building here before, but whatever had been there was now abandoned. Grass sprung up occasionally in tall spurts around the ruined building, sure to hold some wild Pokemon. It was just another part of the forest, but something about it felt different.

Luna pulled out the map from her bag to see where she was. Apparently, there was an area right next to the city called the Dreamyard.

_Dreamyard, huh?_ Luna thought, gazing around. _It's nice scenery, but I don't see what about it could make it so...dreamy._

Luna decided that, regardless of whether she decided to challenge the Striaton Gym or not, this would be a good place to train. She motioned for Chewy to follow her as she started wandering through the tall grass.

But Chewy refused to move.

"Chewy?" Luna turned to face her Pokemon. Chewy had sat down, looking fidgety and uncomfortable. When Luna motioned towards him, he didn't move.

Concerned, Luna kneeled beside him. "Chewy, what's wrong?" The Teddiursa looked away. When Luna tried to pick him up, he let out a low growl and swiped at her hand with his paw.

_What if he's not feeling well?_ Luna thought worriedly. _But I just took him to the Pokemon Center...what if..._

_"Muuuun..."_

A sudden mystical cry cut through the forest sounds, far different than any Pokemon cry she had heard before. It wasn't sharp or piercing. Rather, it had high-pitched, intriguing sound...

A large purple and pink Pokemon emerged out of the grass in front of her, floating in midair. Luna stared at it in awe. As it looked at her, pink smoke started to pour from a nostril on its head.

Luna pulled out her Pokedex. _"Musharna, the Drowsing Pokémon and the evolved form of Munna. The mist from its forehead takes the form of things in present in the dreams it has eaten." _

_Wait, the mist does what?_ Luna thought. "Chewy! Use –"

The Musharna reacted more quickly than Luna did. It sprayed a cloud of the pink, sparkling dream dust in Luna's face. She coughed and tried to wave it away, but the mist clung around her like fog and refused to disperse. Within minutes Luna found her eyes closing as she slumped to the ground with a thud.

The last thing she heard was the sound of Chewy's hostile growls fading into darkness.

* * *

Luna usually dreamed when she was asleep. But this time, everything was shrouded in pitch black, as if the dreams had been sucked right out of her head. She wasn't really sure what to think. Her dream-self took a few steps in the darkness, still not entirely sure what had happened.

_The Musharna made me fall asleep!_ Luna realized. _So this is just...some strange kind of dream...?_

Suddenly there was a bright flash. Luna shielded her eyes as the light overcame her. When she opened her eyes, she was in a completely different world.

It was still dark, but more like a dimness rather than a blanket of complete black. Luna could make out a dingy room that didn't appear to be very well-kept; there was junk everywhere, from newspapers to old pop cans and even...pokeballs?

Luna blinked as she looked at the Pokeballs that were seemingly scattered all over the room. _Is this someone's house?_ What made this dream even stranger was that everything she saw was from a birds' eye view; it was as if she were looking down from the ceiling...

Then she spotted Chewy. _What? What's he doing in this room?_ Her stomach did a flip-flip as she studied him more closely. Patches of fur were missing, he had a cut over one eye that was swollen shut, and he was trembling as he struggled to stay standing.

Luna tried to go towards him, but her body felt like it was floating there on its own, and she couldn't move. Helplessly she watched as a beer bottle went flying and hit Chewy on the head.

"Stupid-ass Pokemon," a voice slurred. "Useless piece of crap. Can't even battle right..." The voice was coming from the couch, and Luna could barely make out the figure of a man flopped on it. His face and other general details were hidden, but there was another beer bottle in his hand, and Luna felt enraged.

_Even if this is a dream...how dare he...how DARE he..._ Luna's entire being felt like sending the man hurling against a wall, but she was unable to, and her frustration made her tremble with rage.

Chewy slowly walked over to the hunched over figure on the couch and stood on his hind legs, begging for attention, but was swatted away. He crawled away and curled up in a fetal position on the floor. He was nothing like the Teddiursa she knew.

Before she could try and do anything else, the scene slowly faded. Luna once again heard Musharna's ghostly call before everything disappeared before her eyes.

Luna jolted awake, shaking and sweating.

Heart pounding, she sat up and looked around. She was back in the Dreamyard. She felt the grass beneath her; all real. Everything was peaceful once again, but for reasons she couldn't explain tears were streaming down her face.

Then she remembered the nightmare she had just had. Memories of Chewy's poor condition, the abusive owner, the beer bottles, her uselessness...it all came rushing back. Not bothering to wipe the tears away, Luna quickly looked around until she saw Chewy, curled up in sleep. To her relief, he was perfectly healthy, nothing like what she had just seen.

Carefully, Luna picked up her Pokedex, which had fallen onto the ground as she had been knocked out. It had registered more information about Musharna.

_"Musharna puts humans and Pokemon to sleep with its Dream Mist, then eats their dreams,"_ the Pokedex droned. _"If more than one human or Pokemon are together as they fall asleep, they may experience the same dream before it is devoured by Musharna."_

So that's what happened.

Chewy slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. When he noticed that his mistress was awake, and in distress, he sat up and waddled towards her, holding up his paws for a hug. Luna scooped him up and held him in her arms tightly, burying her face into her Pokemon's fur.

Chewy wasn't one for hugs, but this time he didn't fight as Luna held him. Luna realized somehow without actual communication with Chewy that they had both had the same dream. Even though it was just a nightmare, a product of her imagination, Luna couldn't help but feel shaken.

_I don't know what Chewy's been through, but no Pokemon should be having a dream like that. Chewy..._

_To be continued..._


	7. Chapter 7 - Thunder Shock

_**Finding You – Chapter 7**_

**Thunder Shock**

_Luna took in the opportune chance to explore Striaton City, getting a taste of the Striaton Café, which also doubles as the local Gym! Afterwards, she explored the abandoned Dreamyard, only to be subjected to Musharna's Dream Mist, where she and Chewy both had a disturbing nightmare…_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Sixth Entry_

As expected, I won the battle. But a lot more went down than I would have guessed.

This morning, I came back to the same spot to where I had seen the battling before, half expecting the Riolu boy not to show up. It was the complete opposite of what I had anticipated. Instead of only him, or not even anyone at all, I saw not only the boy but a large group of his friends. And they were all young boys and girls his age or younger. Every single one of them had Pokeballs on their person, and all of them appeared apprehensive at my arrival.

The Riolu boy stepped forward to greet me. 'These are the other battlers,' he said. 'They agreed to our deal. If I lose, then we won't battle on the streets anymore. We promise.' And they all nodded in agreement.

Then we started the battle. But instead of sending out his Riolu, the boy took a Pokeball from one of the children next to him and sent out a Liepard. I took out Pidgeot and defeated it easily, but that wasn't the end of it. He took Pokemon from each of his friends to use against me. I ended up using every one of my Pokemon, and while none of them ended up being KO'd, it was still a tiresome battle.

After I defeated his Riolu – his last Pokemon – the children just looked at each other and walked away. I will never forget the looks on their faces. Every one of them looked as if they wanted to cry. Some of them did.

* * *

"I want to challenge the Striaton City Gym."

Cilan, Cress, and Chili all looked at each other and nodded. "Excellent," Cilan said. "Please follow us."

Luna let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She followed the three brothers into a door on the side of the café. Previously, she had thought that it led into the kitchen, but as it opened she realized it was a passageway to the arena.

It was the following day after Luna and Chewy's disturbing experience at the Dreamyard, and Luna still felt a little shaken after what had happened. Memories of their haunting nightmare still wracked her brain, but Luna told herself that she had to put the whole thing behind her if she ever wanted to move on. So after a bit of training, she and her Pokemon retired in the Pokemon Center for the night and headed to the "café" first thing in the morning.

The brothers led Luna through to another finely decorated room. This time, however, there were no tables for customers, and the only thing of any significant importance was the large red curtain in the middle, very similar to what was in the outer area, and three large buttons on the floor. Each button had a leaf, flame, or water drop insignia.

"We'll leave you to your own devices," Cilan said, bowing as he and his brothers backed away.

"H-hang on a second!" Luna squeaked. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Try to open the curtain," Cilan said. "Pokemon Trainers are resourceful, no? You can do it. Best of luck."

Before she knew it, the brothers were gone and Luna was left alone in the room.

Luna looked at the curtain. _Try to open it?_ It was red, with an orange flame design in the middle where the two parts joined.

She walked over and pulled apart the curtain, but to her astonishment there was a wall right behind it.

_Well, I opened it,_ Luna thought. _What's supposed to happen now?_

After several uneventful moments passed, Luna decided there must be some other way to do it that she wasn't picking up on.

She started to back away from the curtain, and in doing so stepped on one of the buttons on the floor. She let out a squeak of alarm as the curtain suddenly opened on its own, and the wall folded down so that she could proceed.

Luna looked down at her feet. The button was the blue one with the water droplet. _Water._ Luna looked up to where the curtain had previously been. _Fire. Water puts out fire, so..._

Suddenly excited, Luna hurried through the curtain and felt slightly disappointed to see another obstacle – a blue curtain with a water droplet. But this time, she knew what to do...

* * *

"Congratulations, Luna." Cilan smiled at her as she entered the arena. "You've proved your knowledge of the basic Pokemon elemental types. Welcome to the Striaton City Gym!"

Luna's throat felt dry, so she simply nodded. Anticipation was coursing through her veins, as well as nervousness. This was her second-ever Trainer battle, and her first one, of course, against an experienced Gym leader.

She hadn't expected the curtain puzzle that she had to solve. Apparently, this was going to be even _more_ challenging than she had predicted. What else did the Striaton brothers have up their sleeves?

"You said before that you started out with an Oshawott, correct?" Cilan asked. "That means you will be battling against me. My brothers and I decide on who gets to battle our challengers depending on their Starter Pokemon."

Luna decided not to tell Cilan that her first Pokemon actually had, in fact, been Chewy.

Cilan walked to the opposite side of the arena. They were now standing on opposite sides of the room, with the large battle court in between them.

"This will be a one-on-one match," Cilan said. "There are no restrictions on this battle, but know that later on Gym Leaders may set certain regulations. Since we're the first Gym, we tend to go a little easy on the challengers. Are you ready?"

Luna nodded and gripped her Pokeball. _Yes._

"Then..._Bon appetite._" Cilan tossed a Pokeball into the air. "One battle, coming right up!"

A Lillipup popped out of the Pokeball and immediately began growling. It looked almost just like Laddie, and Luna had to remind herself that she had to knock out the adorable little Pokemon in order to win the battle.

Luna threw out her Pokeball and watched as it spun in the air before bursting open. "Xander!"

The cheerful Oshawott bounced out and hopped into the arena, ready for battle. He faced off against the Lillipup.

Cilan and Luna shouted their commands at once.

"Tackle!"

"Water gun!"

A torrent of water burst from Xander's mouth and shot into the Lillipup before it could run towards him. The Puppy Pokemon flew backwards and hit the back of the arena, easily a one-hit KO.

Luna winced at the impact, instantly feeling sorry for the Pokemon. "Ah! I'm sorry..."

Cilan shook his head and withdrew Lillipup. "Don't worry, Miss Luna. Such a hit is typical for Pokemon trained for battle. You must learn to be concerned for your own Pokemon rather than others', or you will pay the consequences."

As he spoke, he released his second Pokemon, and Luna instantly recognized it as a Pansage, almost exactly identical to the one that young Ashley had battled with. Knowing that Xander was at a type disadvantage, she quickly switched him out.

"Chewy! Go!"

The feisty Teddiursa immediately jumped to the offensive, his fur spiking up in warning to the Pansage.

"Pansage," Cilan commanded, "let's start the second course with vine whip!"

Vines shot out from the foliage atop the green monkey Pokemon's head and sped towards Chewy. Chewy managed to dodge them at first until one caught around his foot, lifting him into the air and throwing him down with a loud _thud!_

Luna's breath caught in her throat, but she quickly regained her composure. "Chewy! Bite!"

Chewy snapped at the vines, and they quickly withdrew from his foot. Without command, he leaped at Pansage, snarling and swiping with his claws.

Luna facepalmed in exasperation. _There he goes again, attacking without my commands. How can I fix this?_ The two Pokemon were grappling messily in the middle of the arena, neither battling in an organized fashion. It was a regular brawl.

Cilan quickly took control. "Pansage! Get back!" It immediately obeyed, leaping into the air with acrobatic reflexes and standing off towards Chewy a short distance away. "Work up!"

Luna watched Pansage start building up energy. _I need to finish the battle before it gets too strong! But how...?_

As Luna searched her brain for an answer, she suddenly had an idea. _Pansage's Vine Whip comes from the leaves on its head. If I can stop the vines..._

"Chewy! Fury Swipes, now! Aim for the leaves!"

Chewy, though not the fastest of Pokemon, bounded towards Pansage with astonishing speed. He leaped, swiping with his claws, and landed on top of Pansage. Pansage's vines reached out to grab him but Chewy cut them away before they could reach him.

In one last Fury Swipe, Pansage was down, for without its grass attacks it was powerless against Chewy. It lay blissfully unconscious on the Gym floor as Chewy stood over it, sniffing, before proudly striding back towards Luna.

Luna blinked. _Is it really over?_ Her heart was still beating rapidly from exhilaration and excitement. The battle itself hadn't lasted more than ten minutes, and the fun was over all too soon for Luna.

Then Luna remembered that winning meant that two of Cilan's precious Pokemon were hurt, and she immediately felt sorry. "Cilan, I hope your Pokemon aren't..."

He held up a hand to quiet her. "As I told you before, no worries. Pokemon have higher pain tolerance than humans, and their bodies are built specifically for conflict. Pokemon recover quickly, Miss Luna. I promise you that there's no reason for concern."

Luna relaxed slightly. "Thank you. So does this mean...?"

Cilan walked across the arena towards her and pressed something into her palm. When he removed his hand, she was left with a shining new Gym Badge.

"That's the Trio Badge," Cilan said. "With it, Pokemon up to a certain level who have been traded to you will obey you. Sometimes, you see, traded Pokemon don't obey if you aren't strong enough, but with a Badge they will."

"Huh." Luna hadn't known this before, but made a mental note to remember this bit of information later. "Thank you so much for the battle, Cilan."

Cilan bowed. "It was my pleasure. Please do come by our café again someday if you ever feel the need."

"I'll do that." Luna smiled and scooped up Chewy into her arms. "Bye!"

As she exited the arena, feeling victorious, Cilan watched her with a thoughtful expression.

_Come to think of it, she reminds me a little bit of someone. Ah, I remember now! Her passion for Pokemon reminds me a bit of Touya..._

* * *

Luna still couldn't believe that she had been able to win her first Gym battle. Her steps felt light as she skipped towards the Pokemon Center.

_That was amazing!_ Luna thought happily. _Wow! Dad will be so proud._ She smiled at the thought of seeing him again and showing him a badge case full of badges. _It'll be great._

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden ringing of her Xtransceiver. Puzzled, Luna glanced at the device to see who it could be. _Zoe maybe?_

Suddenly Luna's face paled. Had the Xtransceiver not been attached to her wrist, she was sure she would have dropped it. The name on the caller id was one she had not expected to see for a long time, or even ever hear from again. _Why is she calling? How did she get my number?_

Shakily Luna lifted the device to her face and pressed the answer button. "Mom?"

_To be continued..._


	8. Chapter 8 - Shock Wave

_**Finding You – Chapter 8**_

**Shock Wave**

_Luna challenged Cilan to an exciting battle – and after a close match, she won! However, a startling phone call from someone close to her disrupted her happiness…_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Seventh Entry_

It's been a week, and the children kept their promise. There has not been one street battle since I defeated their leader.

However, the looks on their faces bothered me. I decided to seek them out, see if I could find them. But when I roamed through town, I didn't find a single child.

I walked back through Mode Street when, as luck would have it, I found the very boy I had been seeking. He seemed to be eyeing the Casteliacone stand carefully. I'm not sure what compelled me to do it, but I walked right up to him and offered to buy him a cone. Maybe it's because I wasn't a complete stranger, maybe it's because I had treated him as an equal, but he accepted my offer and together we ate our ice cream on one of the benches, watching the flow of people passing by.

Then I asked him about his hobbies. He answered "Pokemon battling" and looked me straight in the eye, as if to say,

and you took it away from me._ I refused to be shaken, however, and went on to ask him about other aspects of his life. And…_

…well…it's actually very sad. I don't feel like talking about it now.

* * *

"Mom?"

"Hey sweetie." A warm voice sounded on the other end of the line. "How are you?"

Luna was speechless. Dozens of questions popped into her mind like kernels exploding in a popcorn maker. _Why are you calling? Why aren't you mad? How did you get my number?_

The screen on her mother's end was black. She was calling from the house phone – if her mother had been calling from a Pokemon Center, her face would have appeared on the screen. In a way, not seeing her mother's face was comforting, but at the same time Luna wished she could see her mother's expressions to know what she was up to.

"Uh...good, I guess," Luna managed to get out. "Mom, how did you–?"

"Professor Juniper gave me your number," Mom interrupted. "I'm so glad she did. I've been meaning to call you, but I...well..."

_Professor Juniper!_ Luna sighed. Of course. The Professor didn't know of Luna and her mother's relationship. She was just taking responsibility as an adult.

As her mother's voice faltered, Luna took the chance to speak again. "Mom, I...I thought you were mad."

A sigh. "Oh, honey, I wasn't mad...I just didn't want you to leave. It's dangerous to go off traveling on your own, you know, especially at your age."

"Mom, some kids get their Pokemon licenses at ten."

"But any smart parent would know that's not safe! Luna, I'm calling because I want you to come home. Who knows where your father is. I know he said that he was going to Unova, but that doesn't mean he's there now. I haven't had contact with him since we divorced."

Mom had a point. Luna weighed her words in her head. _That doesn't mean he's there now._ What if she was right? What if her father wasn't in Unova at all?

Even if that was the case, though, Luna felt determined not to give up yet.

"Mom, listen. I just started my journey. I have three Pokemon now – Xander, Chewy, and Laddie. I like travelling with them. I've already been training them and everything. And Mom, I just beat the Striaton Gym and got my first ever Gym badge. I can't just stop now!

"Besides, right before Dad left, he said he'd be in Unova. I love Dad and I trust him. Don't you think he would have at least called if he had a change of plans?"

There was a pause. "After your father left, he never once contacted us. No phone calls, no letters, not anything. Not even anything for you."

Luna felt her heart sink. "Wait. Not even letters?"

"I would have given them to you if he had."

"...I always thought you just never gave them to me..."

"Luna! Don't you trust me a little more than that?"

_No contact at all?_ What if he didn't even care? Why would he cut off all his ties so suddenly?

"Anyway, that's beside the point," her mother continued briskly. "I've heard rumors...bad ones. Maybe you've heard already? There's some sort of crazy terrorist group that's making a name for itself over there. They commit useless acts of violence ranging from bombings to fires to who knows what else. Touya Black even held a conference with the other regions here in Johto a few weeks ago to see what could be done, but so far not even the police have been able to track them down. I don't want you to get caught up in anything like that."

Luna closed her eyes and tried to think about what Touya had said back on the boat when she asked him why he was in Johto. _"I was just visiting Johto on business."_ But she hadn't bothered to ask what kind of business, and looking back, she really wished she had.

"I haven't heard anything while I've been here," Luna said at last. Her cheeks burned as she recalled the newspaper in her bag. _A lie._ "If it was a big issue I'd probably pick up on it, but everything seems fine. It's probably nothing to worry about."

When she spoke again, her mother's voice sounded weary. "Luna...I just want you to be safe. I don't want you to be heartbroken. What are the chances of you possibly finding one man in a region of millions of people? I know you love him. I did too. But sometimes you need to let things go."

A thick silence ensued, one that lasted several moments. The tension was so great that Luna almost felt like she could grab it.

Finally she spoke. "I'm not coming home. I really appreciate the call, but I've been stuck in Cherrygrove all my life and it's about time I get to see the world. If not for Dad, well...then this will be for me. I want to explore Unova because _I_ want to."

To Luna's surprise, there was a light chuckling on the other end of the line. "Oh, Luna. I always thought you took after your dad, but you're like me in a lot of ways too. You have the same conviction I did when I was your age."

_Conviction?_ Luna realized her mom was right. Only a short time ago Luna had been scared witless at the thought of travelling, but now she had gained new companions, new strength, and new...conviction. _I guess I really am stronger now._

Before Luna could think of something to say, her mother spoke again. "Are you really sure about this?"

Luna swallowed. "Positive."

"Fine." Her mother's voice was curt. "Go ahead and travel. Have your fun. But you had better stay in touch, young lady. And when you realize that you're better off here at home, I claim the right to say I told you so!"

Luna smiled a little. _Oh, Mom._

"I'll make sure to call. But Mom, I have to go now. My Pokemon need to heal up."

"Okay. ...I love you, Luna."

"I love you too. Bye, Mom."

"Bye."

With that, the phone call was over.

Luna strode into the Pokemon Center lost in her thoughts. She handed her Pokemon to the nurse and sat down in the rest area as she waited for them to be fully healed.

_I don't think things will be perfect between us now. But maybe they'll be a little better once I start calling her._

As she sat, Luna felt tears pricking at her eyelids. Angrily she wiped them away. _Why am I always such a crybaby? It worked out in the end, didn't it? I can finally travel! Mom's not mad anymore! I shouldn't be so emotional!_

Luna looked up as footsteps clacked their way towards her. "Your Pokemon are fully healed," the nurse told her, a little too cheerfully. "There were no other complications or injuries that needed tending to. They're perfectly fine now!"

_She probably thought I was crying over my Pokémon._ Luna released her team and the trio looked up her expectantly, waiting for orders.

Luna clapped her hands together and forced a watery smile across her face. No way was she going to let her Pokemon see her upset. "Well then. Let's go train!"

* * *

"Where are all the Pokemon?!"

Luna waded through the tall grass, impatiently batting away the reeds as they scratched at her face and arms. She had been travelling along Route 3 for an hour and so far she hadn't seen a single Pokemon in the occasional patches of grass that she ran into. This was not good.

_I AM on Route 3, right?_ Luna checked her map, and sure enough, she was on her way to Nacrene City; she had already passed by the Daycare on the side of the road. _Well then. How am I going to train my team if there are no Pokemon to fight...?_

She winced at the red welts that were now throbbing up her arms and forearms. The coarse blades were far too tall and sharp for her to be treading through them.

In a sudden change of events, a flash of black caught the corner of Luna's eye. Quickly she spun her head around, but nothing was there. However, the reeds were shaking. Someone – or something – had been there moments before.

Luna took out a Pokeball and tossed it to the ground, releasing a small brown puppy. "Laddie," she said, looking down at the Lillipup, "track it down!"

Laddie began sniffing the ground, finding the trail, before barking once excitedly and dashing off in another direction.

Luna ran after him, silently wondering if he really had a trail or if he had tracked down something completely different. Regardless, Luna decided it was best to follow Laddie's lead than none at all – it's not as if she were missing any Pokemon along the way. _This is really strange..._

Without warning, Laddie suddenly veered off to the side, and a loud squeal was heard. It took her a couple of moments, but soon Luna was able to find her Pokémon. The Lillipup had cornered a black horse-like Pokémon, who was cowering behind a rock.

Luna pulled out her Pokedex and held it out in front of her. _"Blitzle, male – Its mane shines when it discharges electricity. They use their flashing manes to communicate with each other."_

_So Blitzle is an electric type?_ "Laddie, bite it!" As an afterthought, she quickly added, "but be careful!"br Laddie was happy to oblige. The puppy Pokémon happily charged at the Blitzle and bit it, enough to render it weak but not nearly enough to hurt it severely. The Blitzle whinnied in alarm and fled, shaking off Laddie as it did so.

Luna returned Laddie to his Pokeball and released Xander. "Water gun!"

Luna knew that water was weak towards electricity, but taking out the Blitzle completely was not her intention. Xander blasted the shot of water blindly into the reeds until it hit its mark – _Water Gun_ was the only long-distance attack among Luna's Pokemon, and it fulfilled its goal. Now the Blitzle's strength would be significantly reduced.

Luna pushed through the grass until she found the Blitzle. It was trembling violently, wet and frightened, among a small nest of grass. Instantly she felt sorry that she had ever hunted it down.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "It's okay, I don't want to hurt you. I'm just going to put you in this Pokeball and get you all fixed up at the Pokémon Center – then you can be a new member of my team." Gently she tossed an empty ball at the Blitzle and it was caught, shaking three times before finally going still.

Xander danced around Luna's feet happily as she picked up the newly attained member of her team. He clung to her leg and gazed up curiously as she pocketed the Pokeball.

"Nice work, Xander; good job, Laddie," she cooed. "Let's go take a break!"

* * *

Luna had intended to make it to Nacrene by nightfall, but she decided that going back to the Striaton City Pokémon Center wouldn't hurt. She booked a room for the night as her Pokémon healed, eager to rest for the night and become acquainted with her new Blitzle.

Once she was finally alone in her room, Luna set her bag on the bed and took out her Pokeballs. One by one she released Chewy, Laddie and Xander. As they curiously explored their quarters, she took out the Blitzle's Pokeball last and let it out.

Immediately the Blitzle fled to the furthest corner of the room, shaking in fright as its feet slid uselessly on the tile floor, as if trying to back up right through the wall. Even in the wild it had been nervous; now, in an unfamiliar setting, the poor thing was a nervous wreck.

Luna walked towards the Blitzle slowly, not wanting to startle it. When she was a few feet away, she got down on her hands and knees and crawled.

"Hey there," she said in a soothing tone. "It's okay, you don't have to be scared. It's okay, good boy..." Carefully, hesitantly, she reached out her hand to stroke the Blitzle's fur.

Without warning, the Blitzle's foot shot out, striking Luna's hand before the Pokemon fled to the other end of the room. Upon seeing his mistress injured, Chewy immediately began to growl and approach the Blitzle threateningly.

"No, no, Chewy, it's okay," Luna said, returning the Blitzle to its Pokeball as she nursed her sore hand. "I think he's just scared. I guess...I guess we'll have to release him tomorrow. I think he's too wild to be tamed." The thought of releasing her newest team member made Luna's heart sink in disappointment, but she knew it would be the right thing to do. She didn't want to force any Pokemon to be on her team.

With a resigned sigh, Luna flopped onto the bed, her face flopped down onto the pillows. "G'night, team," she said tiredly, her words muffled. "We'll head to Nacrene tomorrow."

* * *

The following day, it was already midmorning by the time Luna reached the same spot on Route 3 that she had been before. Only Chewy walked beside her as she made her way through the coarse grass once again.

She paused when she reached a relatively clear area. Reaching into her pocket, she took out Blitzle's Pokeball and released the Electric Pokemon.

"I'm going to let you go," she said to him. "It's obvious that you really don't want to be tamed...I'm sorry I caught you." She gave the Blitzle a reassuring smile. "Be careful out there."

The Blitzle looked up at her, startled, as if incredulous that this was really happening; but he didn't hesitate for long. Immediately he fled, bounding off into the grass.

_That was the right thing to do._ Luna sighed. _But I just know he would have been great for my team...oh well, I guess that's that._ She straightened and looked down at Chewy with a determined smile. "Come on...let's go."

Wellspring Cave was dead-on ahead through the route, an unavoidable obstacle that stood in Luna's path no matter how much she wished she wouldn't have to go through it. She sighed and worriedly drummed her fingers on her thigh.

_I can't stand dark places...ugh, what am I going to do if I get lost? And who knows what kind of things are in there?_ Luna shuddered nervously.

_I...I guess I have no choice..._

Cautiously Luna poked her head inside the cave. To her immense relief, it wasn't nearly as dark as she had anticipated. Dim, yes, but she would be able to make her way through without any problem. Slightly reassured, Luna took a few steps and began treading carefully through Wellspring Cave, careful to keep a watchful eye out for any cave Pokemon.

_This isn't so bad after all!_ Luna thought happily. _Now if only –_

Without warning, the cave suddenly went dark. Luna gasped and instantly felt her heart speeding up. She had heard stories about this kind of thing. Muggers and other sorts of shady characters targeting Trainers on their way along a route.

_Oh no oh no oh no oh no..._ Slowly, afraid of what she would see, Luna turned around.

A large Throh had rolled a boulder in front of the entryway, effectively blocking out light and anyone who wanted to pass through – going in or out. Menacingly it looked straight at Luna, and she felt cold shivers run down her spine. This was no ordinary Throh. Something had enraged it, and now its target? Luna.

Instantly her blood ran cold. A sudden thought occurred to her. The lack of Pokemon, the Blitzle's nervous demeanor, and now the enraged Throh..._This whole Route must be the Throh's territory! That's why it's so angry, and that's why Blitzle was so scared! And now...is it coming after me?_

Quickly Luna released Chewy, Laddie and Xander. With each step closer the Throh took, Luna noted its stance and demeanor, wondering when it would strike.

Without warning, it suddenly flung itself towards them. Luna screamed and dove out of the way as it smashed the ground right where she had been, leaving a large crater in the stone floor.

Shakily Luna scrambled to her feet, feeling the fear throng through her entire body. "X-Xander! Water gun! Laddie, Tackle, and Chewy, Scratch!"

All too eager to obey, the three Pokemon flung themselves at the Throh, only to be batted away uselessly. Luna gasped as they skidded on the floor next to her; Xander and Laddie were instantly KOed.

_Oh no!_ Quickly Luna withdrew the two injured Pokemon, panic seizing her as she suddenly realized the gravity of the situation. _Xander, Laddie and Chewy couldn't take it out...there's no way Chewy will be able to by himself!_

_I'm done for!_

A flash of lightning lit up the cave, sparks flying everywhere as a new arrival joined the fight. Luna's eyes widened as she realized it was the Blitzle from before.

Glancing at the boulder blocking the way to Route 3, Luna noticed a small gap just big enough for a Blitzle to fit through. _It came back...but why...?_

The Blitzle widened his stance and looked at the Throh intimidatingly. The large red Pokemon momentarily diverted its attention away from Luna and charged at the Blitzle. But the small black horse-like Pokemon stood its ground, charging up for a shock wave attack before letting loose its blow. The Throh was instantly shocked, roaring in irritation as it stumbled back away, pushing the boulder out before fleeing.

Luna's knees felt as if they'd give out. Shakily she sat down with a thump on the ground, waiting for her racing heart to slow.

Dumbfounded, she looked at the Blitzle. "You...you come back." Bashfully the Blitzle looked down at the ground before taking a few tentative steps towards her. Luna slowly reached out her hand and stroked its head softly.

"Does this mean...that you'd like to join my team?" Luna took out his Pokeball, which she had not yet discarded, and held it out to the Blitzle. He nosed the button once, returning him to the Pokeball.

_I think I'll call you...Blaze._ Luna smiled. _Welcome to the team, Blaze._

* * *

"Hey! Luna!"

Walking out of Wellspring Cave, Luna was greeted to the sight of an athletically built girl with shocking pink hair quickly jogging toward her. She smiled in recognition. "Zoe!"

Zoe grinned. "Hey, hey, long time no see! I saw that boulder and was going to see if I could try and move it, but it looks like you got it covered. Where you headed?"

"I'm going to Nacrene City," Luna explained. "I thought the way was through this cave, but there was a dead end!"

"You got that right." Zoe jerked her thumb down the road. "Nacrene's that way."

Luna gaped. "You mean I went into that cave for nothing?!"

Zoe laughed. "I guess so!" Dixie, Zoe's Vulpix companion, was sniffing Chewy curiously at the girls' feet, while Chewy regarded her cautiously.

"Well," Zoe said, "I'm headed to Nacrene too, so would it be okay if I traveled with you for a bit?"

The thought of a travelling companion hadn't even occurred to Luna, but the more she thought about it, the more of a good idea it seemed. Luna smiled shyly. "Sure!"

"Great! Well then, c'mon, let's go! You're going to challenge the Gym, right? I've met Lenora before, and lemme tell you, she's a nice lady, but she won't go easy on you at the Gym! I can give you all sorts of tips..."

Zoe happily chattered the rest of the way to Nacrene, while Luna delved deeper into her own thoughts.

_So much has been happening...mom's call, Blaze, and now I've got someone to travel with! Being a Trainer has proved pretty challenging, but at the same time, really fun._

_What Mom said about the political trouble between Unova and Sinnoh is a little bit worrying, but it's not my place to worry about it. For now, I'll just do my best to keep training and find more information about Dad._

_Look out, world...here I come._

To be continued...


	9. Chapter 9 - Take Down

_**Finding You – Chapter 9**_

**Take Down**

_Last chapter, Luna had a heart-to-heart chat with her mom before moving on to Route 3. There, she met and captured a Blitzle who she nicknamed Blaze – however, poor Blaze was extremely frightened and scared of Luna, and so Luna let the little Pokemon go, knowing that he wouldn't be happy in captivity. However, when Luna found herself confronting an angry Throh, Blaze returned to help out his former mistress, and both human and Pokemon finally met eye-to-eye. With this latest addition on her team, Luna teamed up with Zoe on her way to Nacrene City, eagerly anticipating the Gym challenge that awaits her!_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Eighth Entry_

It's only been a few hours since my last entry. I just had to go for a walk.

The boy's name is Grey, and he was the leader of the group of street battlers. Every one of those children came from some kind of bad situation or other, and used the battling as a means to stay out of the house and get away from their less than stellar home lives. Every one of them has a problem – whether their parents are too busy, neglectful, or plain-out abusive.

Grey seemed hesitant to let me know anything about his life, but I promised him I'd come back tomorrow to treat him to another cone. I think I'm getting through to him.

* * *

Nacrene City had a certain feel that Luna couldn't quite put into words – artsy, perhaps? Its architecture appeared to consist mainly of old warehouses-turned-buildings, giving Luna a whole new, refreshing look at the unusual cityscape.

As his mistress took in the surroundings, Chewy trudged protectively at her side, occasionally giving passersby sidelong glances. Ever since the team had decided to travel with Zoe and Dixie, he seemed to keep even closer to Luna than usual, as if afraid that the fiery duo would lead her somewhere dangerous.

"I dunno about you, but I'm _starving_," Zoe commented, patting her stomach woefully. "There's a café around here in the city. Wanna eat?"

"Sure," Luna agreed. "You know this place better than I do."

"You better believe it. I've got tons of info about Nacrene, so I can fill you in while we eat dinner."

As the two girls turned a corner, Luna decided that it was probably a strange sight to behold – her, fair-skinned, white-haired, and fairly petite next to tall, tan, pink-haired Zoe. Not that appearances mattered, but Luna couldn't help but think about it.

The two travelers made a pit stop at the Pokémon Center to drop off their Pokémon before making their way to the restaurant. When they finally reached the Warehouse Café, they were immediately welcomed by a waitress in a yellow maid outfit.

"Welcome to the Warehouse Café," she said warmly. "Would you like to sit at a booth or the counter?"

"Counter," Luna and Zoe said simultaneously.

"Right this way."

When the two girls took their seats, Luna asked Zoe, "Have you been to this café before?"

"Nope," Zoe replied. "First time. But I hear they have great burgers."

After placing their orders, Luna finally felt like she could relax. She told Zoe about her newest teammate, Blaze, and how he had saved her from the Throh.

Zoe was wide-eyed and attentive the entire time, unusually quiet, and without the usual interruptions. When Luna finished, Zoe asked offhandedly, "So what do you think made it act like that?"

"I guess it was just being territorial," Luna said with a shrug. "Why else?"

"But you didn't provoke it or even go near it until it blocked you into the cave. I wonder what could have made it act like that..."

Luna was taken aback by Zoe's sudden solemnity. Though she still didn't know the older girl terribly well, thus far Zoe hadn't seemed to be the type of person to stay on one topic for a long period of time.

"I don't think it's anything to be concerned about," Luna told her hastily. "It was just some kind of...some kind of freak incident. And I'm fine, right? So it's okay!"

When Zoe's thoughtful expression didn't waver, Luna decided it was a good time to change the topic. "You said you know a lot about Nacrene, right? Why don't you tell me about it? Did you grow up here or something?"

The food arrived, and Zoe ate a few fries before responding. "Nope. I'm not even from Unova. I just happen to know a lot about Nacrene because I do a lot of...research. I like trivia and things. Facts.

"Nacrene has a population of about 20,000, and has two school districts. People call this place 'The City of Art' because of its funky cityscape. You saw the buildings, right? Those used to be ancient warehouses, but over the years they've been restored and decorated to give it an artsy feel. It's pretty cool, actually. When we were walking around I noticed some people sitting out with canvases just painting the city for the heck of it. This place attracts lots of artists.

"Nacrene's biggest tourist attraction, though, is the museum – which also doubles as a Gym."

Luna felt a wave of excitement pass over her. "A Gym? Who's the Gym Leader?"

"Her name's Lenora, and let me tell you, she's one tough cookie. She specializes in Normal types."

_Normal types?_ Though she had two of them herself, Luna privately thought that of all Pokémon, Normal Types were probably the weakest because of their lacking special abilities. "But she's still a tough Gym Leader?"

"You bet. The type of Pokémon you have doesn't matter as long as you can work out a good strategy – and that's exactly what Lenora does. I don't really know her fighting style, but I do know that she takes the Normal Type's usual weaknesses and works them to her advantage."

"Maybe she can give me some tips for working with Chewy and Laddie," Luna said excitedly. "I mean, so far I've just been trying to train them up and use their physical strength. But if she has some good strategies..."

She trailed off and took a few more bites of her grilled cheese sandwich in silence. Both girls appeared to be lost in thought as they ate their dinners before Luna finally brought up another topic. "So, Zoe. How long have you been a Trainer?"

Zoe swallowed. "Uh...a few years."

"Wow! I guess you have a lot of Pokémon then...oh, unless Dixie is your only one."

"Nn, yeah," Zoe replied, squirming a bit in her seat. "Dixie's my only Pokémon. But I don't really like to think of her as one of MY Pokémon. More like...my...partner. She and I work together really well. We get stuff done."

"I guess you haven't taken the Gym challenge then," Luna concluded, feeling slightly disappointed as she said so. Hastily she added, "Um, but I was surprised when you were able to give me tips about Xander and Chewy; you know, when we first met at the Pokemon Center. It worked perfectly. How did you think that up?"

"It wasn't anything. I guess I'm just kind of good with Pokémon and understanding them." Abruptly Zoe stood and stretched. "Aah, that was good food. I'm stuffed. I wonder if our Pokémon are ready for us yet?"

To Luna, it felt as though Zoe was trying too hard to change the subject, but she didn't dwell on it. "Probably."

"Well then, c'mon, we can get rooms at the Pokémon Center before they fill up. After walking through Route 3 all day, I'm pretty tired. And tomorrow, if you think you're ready, you can try for a Badge!"

* * *

"Well, _damn._"

"Zoe!" Luna exclaimed.

"Sorry, sorry," the older girl apologized. "Bad language, I know. But just _look_ at it."

The Nacrene Museum _was_ impressive. It looked more like the Parthenon than a museum. Tall pillars held up the establishment around every angle, and a long flight of stairs led directly up. Massive doors at the top led inside, with people spilling out and in all around them. Luna felt small and insignificant gazing up at it.

"I thought you already knew a lot about Nacrene," Luna accused. "Haven't you even seen a picture of this place?"

"No," Zoe admitted. "I've just heard about it. I didn't think it was so huge."

Luna checked the Xtransceiver clock. "It's not even ten o'clock yet, and it's already packed."

"All the more reason to go in now, then." Zoe motioned for Luna to follow her. "C'mon, let's go. I think we should go look at the stuff in the exhibits before you try for your badge."

The inside was even more overwhelming than the exterior. Directly in front of the two girls was a large dinosaur skeleton of some sort. Scattered out in various other areas of the establishment were other exhibits of bones, fossils and other archaeological treasures.

In the corner was a tall, attractive African American woman giving a tour to a group of visitors. She turned and smiled when she saw Luna and Zoe.

"Would you two care for a tour of the museum?" she asked warmly. "We're giving them free today."

"Yes, thank you," Luna said, suddenly feeling shy.

"Well then, just follow me! My name's Lenora, and I'll be your guide for the day. We're going over the exhibits from ancient times..."

For about an hour after that, Luna and Zoe followed the crowd and learned a lot about Unova's ancient times.

"These fossils indicate that Pokemon have been around for thousands of years," Lenora explained, gesturing to some round fossils on display. "But these skeletons here – " she moved to gesture another exhibit "–also suggest that humans may have evolved from the original Pokemon on this Earth. Fascinating, isn't it?"

Lenora turned to face the group of about a dozen who had followed her around the museum. "And that concludes today's morning tour of the Nacrene City Museum! I hope you enjoyed it. Please don't forget to stop by the gift shop on the way out, there are plenty of great souvenirs for your loved ones that you can purchase."

The crowd began to disperse, leaving only Zoe and Luna next to Lenora.

"That was a great tour," Luna gushed. "I-I really loved it. How often are those tours?"

Lenora smiled. "The free tours are once a month, and normal tours are twice weekly with an admission of 100 poke per person."

_Maybe I'll come back to get another tour sometime._ "Um, so this museum is also the Nacrene City Gym too, right?"

"That's right." Lenora nodded. "And I'm the Gym leader. Are you here to challenge me?"

Luna took a deep breath. "Yes."

"Glad to hear it! It's nice to have a challenger who can appreciate our world's history before leaping headfirst into battle. If you'll come with me, I'll lead you to the arena. It's in the back of the museum, behind the library."

The three of them walked through the now less crowded exhibits and made their way to the back. After climbing a flight of stairs, they reached two large wooden doors that appeared to swing open to the inside.

"Here's the library."

Luna's jaw fell open. The library had perhaps the most books Luna had ever seen in her entire life. Shelves were not only set up in the center of the room, but they also lined the walls. Everywhere, rainbows of bindings filled Luna's vision. It was magnificent.

Luna felt the urge to grab some books off the shelves and start reading them, but she certainly didn't have the time for that. Pushing the books out of her mind, she trotted after Lenora and Zoe, wondering just how much further it would be until she reached the arena.

Finally, the group reached a large pair of double doors at the back of the room.

"This is the arena," Lenora declared grandly, pushing the doors wide open. "Normally, I would have you go through a test that involves finding clues within the library, but since you were inquisitive enough to ask for a tour, I don't think that's really necessary, do you?"

The arena was quite similar to the one at Striaton, but lacking the cameras that had been placed there for the amusement of the café customers. Luna's heart suddenly began beating a little faster, and excitement coursed through her veins. _This is it!_

Lenora strode briskly to the other end of the room to take her place on the arena. Zoe made her way into the stands and watched from above.

Lenora turned to face Luna. "Let's keep this simple. Two Pokemon each, tag-team style. Are you ready?"

Luna grabbed her first Pokeball. "Yes."

"Then let the match begin!" Lenora tossed a spinning Pokeball to the floor. "Herdier!"

A large terrier-like Pokemon burst from the ball and landed on the floor, immediately on the offensive. Luna recognized it as the evolved form of Lillipup.

_If this Herdier is anything like Laddie, then maybe I'll have the advantage here. I know the fighting style._

Luna decided it would be a safe bet to send out her strongest Pokemon first. "Chewy!"

Chewy leaped into the arena, his fur spiking into hackles on his back.

"Herdier, Leer!"

_Yes! I can get the first physical hit!_ "Chewy! Bite!"

As Herdier glared at the tiny Teddiursa, Chewy sprinted forward and reached out to bite it. However, Herdier quickly maneuvered around him and retaliated with a Take Down attack.

Surprise lit Luna's features as she watched Chewy skid across the floor. The attack had taken a slight toll on Herdier too, but Chewy was obviously in pain now and Luna realized that it had been a good hit.

"Chewy, c'mon," Luna encouraged, "I know you can do it!" Herdier was moving in for another Take Down attack, and Chewy was still on the floor.

Chewy just managed to get up, but was not able to get out of the way. Herdier hit him with a second blow, and Luna's hands instinctively flew up to her face as Chewy tumbled across the arena floor a second time. This time, however, he was knocked out for good.

Luna quickly withdrew him into a Pokeball as the referee stated the score.

"Gym Leader Lenora, 1; Challenger Luna, 0. One more Pokemon remains from Luna's team."

Luna thought. _Who can I send out next? Chewy is the strongest on my team, and yet he was no match for Herdier. Maybe it's not a matter of strength, though. Maybe I need a new plan altogether. Okay, let's try Xander._

Luna tossed out the Pokeball. "Xander!"

The Oshawott bounced out eagerly, his features twisting into an adorable smile. "Osha!"

"Xander, try Water Gun!"

Water gushed from the otter Pokemon's mouth, aimed straight for Herdier. The terrier-like Pokemon tried to dodge, but for Xander it took only a slight tilt of his head to re-aim, and Herdier was effectively hit.

However, the slight victory didn't last for long. Herdier quickly recovered and dashed towards Xander. The little Oshawott barely managed to dodge in time before Herdier suddenly lashed out with a bite attack.

_Whoa! I wasn't expecting that at all!_ Xander wasn't either, apparently, because his little squeal of pain sounded indignant, as if to say, "No fair!"

Xander leaped back as Luna gave her next command. "Razor Shell!"

With a flourish, Xander threw his Scalchop at Herdier with all his might, but the Herdier gracefully dodged it, instead moving in for another Take Down attack upon Lenora's command.

However, Xander wanted his Scalchop back, and instead of following Luna's orders to dodge, he dashed over instead to where his precious shell lay, earning him a tough blow from the Herdier. Apparently, that was the last of his strength, because he finally fell to the floor very similar to how Chewy had been minutes before.

Luna watched in shock as Xander fell to the floor. _What?!_

"Challenger Luna's last Pokemon is unable to battle," declared the referee. "Gym Leader Lenora wins the match!"

_Did I really just lose?_

Luna struggled to keep her composure. Of course she had lost. Her battle in Striaton, that was just pure luck on her part. As a rookie Trainer, she had no right to expect to win all the time, especially not so soon after starting her journey.

But something about watching the members of her beloved team fall before her was unsettling. Quickly Luna returned Xander to his Pokeball and cradled it in her hands as Lenora approached.

"Well fought," Lenora told her warmly, placing one hand on Luna's shoulder. "It's not your Pokemon's strength that needs work, but rather, your strategy. Rethink your battle plan a bit, then come back to try again. I know you can manage it next time."

Luna looked up in surprise. "You're...giving me advice?"

Lenora chuckled. "Of course. We Gym Leaders aren't here just to test a person's strength as a Trainer – we're also here to help that person learn and grow so that they can reach their full potential. Now, I suggest you head straight back to the Pokemon Center to treat your Pokemon before you do anything else – they've earned a good rest."

"O-of course! I'll go right away. Thank you, Lenora!" Luna hurriedly trotted to the entrance, her steps quick and anxious to leave.

Zoe caught up with her in the hallway. "Bummer! I really thought you'd win! But hey, that was one great battle. Like Lenora said, all you need is some work on your strategy."

Luna smiled. "How would you know, if you haven't even taken the Gym challenge before?"

Zoe grinned. "Getting cocky, are we? Not so fast! I actually bothered to take a few notes during the battle. I noticed some interesting things about Lenora and her battle style – as well as you. C'mon, we can discuss it after we go get your Pokemon to the Center."

As the two girls stepped into the afternoon sun outside of the museum, Zoe asked, "When are you going to try again?"

"Tomorrow."

There wasn't even the slightest bit of hesitation in Luna's voice. Taken aback, Zoe repeated incredulously, "Tomorrow?"

"Yep. If it really is my strategy, not my strength, that's the problem, then I'll be able to think of something tonight. That, along with your notes, will pretty much guarantee perfection, right?"

Zoe scratched behind her ear. "I guess so. But wow, aren't you confident. You think you can win then, huh?"

Luna smiled. "Well, there's no way I'm going to lose!"

_To be continued..._


	10. Chapter 10 - Retaliate

_**Finding You – Chapter 10**_

**Retaliate**

_Having teamed up with Zoe, Luna and her new traveling companion stopped at a Nacrene café to eat, where Luna shared her story about the Throh. After an unsuccessful attempt to learn a bit more about Zoe, Luna decided not to pry further and instead learned a surprising amount of information about Nacrene from Zoe instead. The following day, the girls headed to the Nacrene Museum and Gym, where they got a free tour from Lenora herself before challenging her to a battle. Unfortunately, after a tough go, Luna lost the match, but with a bit of advice from Lenora and some handy notes from Zoe, Luna's ready to try again..._

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Ninth Entry_

As promised, I met Grey at the Casteliacone once more and treated him to another cone. He seemed more comfortable and talkative, though not entirely trusting – which is understandable. I'm a stranger.

I told him about you, Luna, and showed him the picture of you that I always carry around in my wallet. He wrinkled his nose and proclaimed that girls are yucky – boys will be boys, I guess. After some prompting from him, I proceeded to explain how I left our family after the divorce, and he seemed to relate to me a bit more. Bit by bit, he began to tell me his story.

By what he told me, it appears that his father is never home and always up to unsavory things. Just…even thinking about someone like that being a parent makes me angry. If he truly is being this neglectful to Grey, then someone has to know. Someone who can get Grey out of that house and toward a brighter future. But a part of me is afraid to interfere. What if it's none of my business? What if it's not something I should step into?

…no. If a child is truly living among these conditions, I can step up and change that.

* * *

"Okay, so you said it's my strategy?"

Zoe nodded and took out her notes, flipping a couple of pages before finally finding the one she wanted. "Yep. But let's start with Lenora first."

The two girls were getting ready for bed in one of the several overnight rooms the Pokemon Center provided for Trainers. The match against Lenora had taken place late in the morning, so Luna had spent the rest of the afternoon training, training training. At one point, both Xander and Laddie had started to evolve, but Luna quickly stopped the process; she had heard from Touya that Pokemon who don't evolve right away learn moves faster, and she decided that it would be nice for her Pokemon's move arsenal to grow a bit.

Now, however, she was ready to hear some battle strategies.

"Lenora uses Normal types, of course, and so her Pokemon use the close-up physical moves to attack," Zoe said, glancing at her notes for reference. "Ultimately, what I noticed is that her biggest weakness in strategy would be distance. If you can attack from a distance, therefore avoiding her attacks, then you're set."

"Her Pokemon was way too fast," Luna pointed out. "Herdier dodged Xander's water gun attacks. And I don't even know what her second Pokemon was going to be."

"But Blaze knows shock wave, right?" Zoe asked. "Shock wave is a move that never misses. If you'd had him in, you would have probably won. Electric types are naturally fast, so not only would he be able to dodge most everything thrown at him, but he'd also get his hits in. Make sure you use him tomorrow."

Of course. How stupid could she have been? Luna almost facepalmed. Zoe was completely right, of course. Earlier, when she had chosen her two Pokemon, Luna had only been thinking about strength. Chewy and Xander were her two strongest members. Not a single thought had flown into her mind about how to deal with Lenora's Pokemon _specifically_ - only how to deal with the opponent Pokemon in general.

Luna firmly decided never to make a mistake like that again. "So...my lucky two for tomorrow will be Xander and Blaze then, right?"

"Well," Zoe yawned, "that's just my suggestion. I mean, in the end it's up to you. But yesterday, Chewy was just too slow to compare. Xander and Blaze are also your fastest Pokemon, so that combined with their distance attacks should be enough to snag a win."

Luna nodded, taking in all of Zoe's words. "Okay, that sounds good then." She smiled. "I can't wait until tomorrow."

"Glad to hear it!"

Luna suddenly felt tiny paws on her lap. Looking down, she noticed Laddie had jumped onto the bed and climbed onto her lap, burying his head into her pajamas.

"Aw, you poor thing," Luna murmured, stroking Laddie's head gently. "Sorry, I've kind of been neglecting you lately, huh?" Tentatively she glanced at her other Pokemon. Chewy was already asleep at the foot of the bed, so he hadn't noticed Laddie's arrival, while Xander and Blaze were wrestling around on the floor.

Turning back to Laddie, she added, "Don't worry, though. Once I beat Lenora, we'll be back on a great training schedule, and you'll be back out in the field."

"Laddie, huh?" Zoe asked, reaching over to pet the Lillipup. "Cute. How old is he? Or do you even know?"

"I'm not sure," Luna admitted. "I mean, I just caught him in the wild and all. But what the Center nurse told me when I first brought him in was that he's pretty up there. I hope it doesn't affect him and his battling."

"Oh, I doubt that. He's been doing fine to me!"

"Yeah, I think so too!" Luna fondly thought back to just a couple of weeks ago. "There's an interesting story to how I caught him, actually. Remember when I met you for the first time, and you gave me the advice to make Xander and Chewy work together to get them to get along? Laddie was my key player for that. I just happened to catch him, and so I had him pretend to attack me so that Chewy and Xander would fight him off for me. After that, they got along, and of course Laddie's been on the team ever since!"

"He's so sweet," Zoe cooed, scratching behind his ears. "I have a Lillipup back at home, but I haven't seen her for a while. Ah well, I'll see her when I visit home again." She glanced at her watch. "It's getting sort of late. I'm going to go to bed."

"Okay. I will too." Luna hated to move Laddie, so she made a great effort to pick him up gently while she got under the covers before placing him next to her side on the bed. He didn't even flinch.

"Well then, g'night, Luna. I know you can nail Lenora tomorrow."

Luna smiled. "Haha, I hope so. Good night."

* * *

"Well, I expected you to come back, but not quite this soon."

Luna looked up at Lenora with determination sparkling in her eyes. Once again in the arena, the only people there were her, Lenora, Zoe and the referee. "Zoe and I really thought about it last night, and we worked out the flaws in my battle strategy. Even if I don't win today, it'll definitely be a better battle than yesterday."

Lenora smiled, her pearly white teeth especially bright against her dark skin. "I like your attitude! I'll be glad to fight you again. We can get right to it – but make sure not to underestimate me just because you have a new strategy!"

Lenora threw her Pokeball. As expected, Herdier exploded from the ball, but this time, Luna knew how to deal with it.

"Xander!" The Oshawott first appeared excited, but then seemed a little apprehensive as he recognized his foe from yesterday. He glanced at Luna, unsure.

"Just follow my instructions," Luna assured him, "and you'll be fine." Seemingly more confident, Xander straightened and did his best to look intimidating.

One thing that Luna had noticed from yesterday that Zoe hadn't jotted down was that Lenora didn't need to give her Pokemon many orders. It was as if Herdier already knew mostly what to do.

_In that case,_ Luna mused silently, _Herdier is probably trained to battle a specific way, and won't be able to adapt if I switch tactics several times. Surely Lenora will intervene if it gets too out of hand, but until then, I can get in some good hits..._

"Focus on evasion," Luna commanded to Xander. "Keep your distance; don't let it get close! And when you can, hit it with Water Gun!"

On Lenora's end, no commands were given. The powerful Gym Leader only had to nod at her Herdier for it to start a Take Down attack.

Xander easily slid out of the way, then spun around and shot a gush of water. The blast sent Herdier skidding several feet sideways. However, it quickly recovered and spun to leer at the Oshawott.

Xander flinched, but soon recovered enough to bounce away and shoot a Razor Shell attack at Herdier. But suddenly he stumbled, and Herdier took advantage of this mistake to quickly hit him with a Take Down/Bite combo.

Luna saw her chance. "Quick, Xander! Water Gun!"

Xander spewed water at the Herdier, and the Terrier Pokemon was immediately flung away, the impact greater than before. Xander started to run towards it.

"No!" Luna's voice had risen a bit from the excitement of the battle but she quickly brought it back to her normal tone. "Xander, stay back. Distance! Razor Shell one more time!"

From the other side of the arena, Xander flung his shell. It sliced through the air, and for a breathless moment everything seemed to go still. Then it finally hit its target square on, and Herdier was down for the count.

Luna clasped her hands in excitement. Xander waddled towards her, and she took a moment to spin him around happily. Suddenly, however, the little Oshawott began to glow. Startled, Luna placed him on the ground again, and Luna observed as he began to change shape before her. After a few moments, he stopped glowing, just in time for Luna to realize that he had evolved.

"Wow!" Lenora exclaimed. "Congrats, honey. That's one fine Dewott you have now. But can he face up to my Watchog?"

A weaselly Pokemon popped out of the Gym Leader's Pokeball, and Luna realized she didn't recognize it. She quickly whipped out her Pokedex.

_"Watchog, the Lookout Pokémon, and the evolved form of Patrat. Watchog's body contains luminescent compounds, which allow its eyes and stripes to glow."_

_Alright, here we go._ "Xander, let's keep it up! Start with Water Gun!"

Xander shot water at the Watchog, but the weaselly Pokemon was too fast for the Dewott.

"Watchog," Lenora ordered, "Retaliate!"

Watchog dashed forward to get in the hit. Xander, as planned, narrowly dodged, but Watchog spun around and with lightning reflexes managed to still hit Xander anyway. Xander hit the wall of the arena to the left.

Lenora smiled triumphantly. "Retaliate," she said. "A very powerful move. If used after an ally has fainted, then its power doubles. Looks like it was a critical hit."

Luna quickly returned Xander. She looked down at the Pokeball in her hand. "Good job, Xander," she whispered. Quickly she tossed out her next Pokemon. "Blaze!"

The tiny Blitzle appeared intimidated at the thought of battling the Watchog. He glanced at Luna for support.

"Don't worry," Luna assured him. "We can do it! Shock Wave!"

Watchog moved in for its next attack, but Blaze unleashed his Shock Wave before it could get close. Watchog tumbled a few feet backwards, but quickly recovered.

Luna was expecting the Watchog to move in again, but instead it stood completely still. Puzzled, she looked at Blaze. _Now what?_

"Watchog," Lenora said, "Hypnosis."

Watchog stared at Blaze, and glowing rings appeared from its eyes. Blaze was already buckling, trying his best not to fall asleep but giving in to the drowsiness.

_Shoot!_

"Now, Watchog, use Leer, then Crunch."

Watchog leered at Blaze, but the Blitzle didn't so much as twitch. When Blaze continued to sleep, Watchog moved in for the Crunch attack.

Luna held her breath. _Come on, Blaze, wake up!_

She had no medicines or remedies that could wake him up during the battle. Now all she could do was wait to see if Blaze would recover in time to retaliate against Watchog.

Watchog finally reached Blaze, then bit down hard with a Crunch attack. Luna winced. _C'mon, Blaze..._

But then Blaze's eyes flew open.

With a loud whinny, Blaze shot a Thunder Wave at Watchog. The Pokemon was immediately paralyzed. _Yes!_

Heart pounding with anticipation, Luna commanded, "Blaze, use Shock Wave!" The attack slammed into Watchog, but the Watchog was unable to retaliate.

Luna commanded Blaze to use Shock Wave again, and watched the Watchog closely. Very soon the paralysis would wear off. She had to finish this soon.

Taking a deep breath, Luna gave the last order. "Blaze! Flame Charge!"

Blaze dashed towards Watchog, flames encircling him in fiery tendrils. As he gained speed, Luna noticed out of the corner of her eye that Watchog was starting to regain mobility. She inhaled sharply. This would be close.

Blaze hit Watchog head-on before it could move to attack him again. In the midst of the fire and movement, a cloud of dust rose up and Luna couldn't see what was happening.

The dust cleared. Both Watchog and Blaze were still standing, but then...

Watchog fell. For a moment, nothing happened. Then Luna felt the tension leave her body to immediately be replaced by sheer excitement.

"That was wonderful, Blaze!" she squealed. "Great job! We did it, we won!" From the stands, only Zoe's lone clapping sounded, but to Luna it was just as good as a full stadium. Nothing could dampen her joy now.

"_Very_ well done," Lenora praised, beaming Watchog back to its Pokeball. "Even though I lost, I can still appreciate the glory of the battle – which says a lot. You have done more than enough to earn this."

Lenora clasped Luna's hand in hers, and when she let go, Luna was holding the Basic badge.

"Great job, Luna. I look forward to seeing how you progress in the future."

Luna held up the badge and waved it at Zoe in the stands. Zoe gave her the thumbs-up sign in return.

"Good luck with all your future endeavors. You'll have to go through Pinwheel Forest to make it to Castelia City, but I know it'll be a piece of cake for you. Have fun, Luna."

"Oh, I will," Luna gushed. "Thank you so much!" She returned Blaze to his Pokeball before dashing out of the arena, pure joy powering her steps.

_I can't believe I did it! I beat my second Gym!_

* * *

"I think it's time we parted ways."

Luna looked up at Zoe. "Huh? Why?"

"I have some stuff of my own to do," the pink-haired girl explained, "and besides, you're doing well enough, aren't you?" She elbowed Luna playfully. "You beat your second Gym! That's a lot to be proud of!"

The two girls were sitting in the Pokemon Center, waiting for Luna's Pokemon to be healed. Chewy and Dixie were apprehensively studying each other, but they finally seemed to be on good terms. Luna looked at the map on her Xtransceiver.

"The next town is Castelia, right?" Luna asked.

Zoe nodded. "I wouldn't call it a town, though. It's definitely a city. It's the biggest city in Unova, in fact. Oh, but you have to go through Pinwheel Forest to get there."

"Pinwheel Forest..." Luna swallowed. "Is it big?"

"Nothing you can't handle. It's just a forest. But make sure you pack some potions and antidotes. There's a lot of grass and bug-type Pokemon."

_Maybe I can get a new team member!_ Despite her anxiety about going through the forest, Luna felt excited at the prospect too.

"So what about you?" Luna asked. "Where are you going?"

Zoe shrugged. "Oh, just...around. But hey, this isn't going to be good-bye permanently! We can meet up again later, maybe in Nimbasa or somewhere. We could have a girls' day out. And besides that, we have each other's phone numbers. Feel free to call me anytime."

Luna smiled. She was going to miss Zoe, but knowing even now that they would meet again kept her sorrow at a minimum.

Zoe stood up and stuck out her hand to Luna. "Thanks for being great company. It's been a pleasure traveling with you."

Luna too, stood up and clasped Zoe's hand. They shook. "It _has_ been great, Zoe. Thanks for helping me with Lenora, too!"

"No prob!" Zoe grinned and slung her backpack over her shoulder. "I'll see you around, then. C'mon, Dixie!" The Vulpix looked up at her mistress and, with a wave of her hand, Zoe was gone.

Luna watched them go before sitting down again. Chewy hopped up onto the seat next to her and Luna scratched behind his ears.

_Well, I guess I'm on my own again._ Chewy snuggled down into her lap. _Wait, not true. I've got all my Pokemon to be with me, and I also have Zoe's phone number if I get lonely._

_I still have a long ways to go on my journey, but I just know I can do it._

_Pinwheel Forest...I'm ready for you._

To be continued...


	11. Chapter 11 - Swarm

_AN: This was one of my favorite chapters to write, probably because I poured my emotions into it from personal experience. I hope it touches you as much as it did me. Cheers!  
_

_**Finding You – Chapter 11**_

**Swarm**

_After being defeated by Lenora her first time, Luna did some careful planning and returned once more to defeat the Nacrene Gym Leader. After a fierce battle, Luna was able to succeed, polishing off Lenora's Watchog with Blaze. Finally she earned her Basic Badge! But after the battle, Zoe suggested the two of them part ways before Luna heads into Pinwheel Forest. Luna reluctantly agreed, but wasn't saddened, knowing that she and Zoe would certainly meet again soon in the future. Now, she prepares to enter the Forest..._

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Tenth Entry_

After talking with Grey a few more times, I secretly followed him home to his house. He hadn't wanted me to – he dashed off in hopes of losing me, but I just had Pidgeot follow him from the skies. I felt a little uncomfortable doing it (I hope you don't think of your old dad as a creepy stalker, Luna) but if a child is in potential danger, I feel that that doesn't matter.

I knocked on the door. Grey was the one who opened it, and he looked surprised and angry to see me. He tried to slam the door in my face, but I stuck my shoe in the doorway and prevented it from closing. (You'd be surprised how sturdy a good pair of Dockers are.)

I asked to speak to his father. Grey absolutely refused to let me in. As much as I wanted to, I didn't push the subject, so I left.

I didn't see him at the Casteliacone today. I guess that's the end of it.

* * *

The trees were huge. That was the first thing Luna noticed as she tread her first steps into the outside area of Pinwheel Forest – the enormity of everything there. Untouched by human hands, the forest had been left to grow freely, so that foliage sprouted in thick clumps all around the woods.

Chewy plodded eagerly at Luna's side, taking in the numerous scents and sights. Only he and Laddie would be able to train today – according to the Pokemon Center nurse, Blaze and Xander were to take a day off from any physical exertion because of their tough battle with Lenora. This was fine by Luna, but she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous – she knew that all sorts of Pokemon dwelled within the forest, and with only two Normal-type Pokemon to face them all, she wondered if they'd make it out okay.

Once she had passed through the outer area, the surroundings became dinner as the trees began blocking out the sun. Luna immediately noticed the drop in temperature once she was a few feet in; with every step it became a little cooler.

Relief suddenly washed over Luna as she noticed that the trail split into two paths; an off-path that went through the deeper parts of the woods, and a main path that posed very little danger.

_Maybe I can make it through to Castelia before I go back to train. I don't need to run the risk of getting lost in this forest just yet._

However, her hopes were dashed after just a short few minutes. Up ahead, very distinct yellow road blocks were set up right in the middle of the path, and a bright construction sign read _Closed for Repairs._ Indeed, the road _did_ need repairs; part of it looked as if it had been torn apart by a Pokemon battle of some kind.

"Oh no," Luna murmured quietly to herself. Chewy glanced up at her, but did nothing.

Luna sighed. _I guess it's okay. I had been expecting to travel through the worst part of the woods anyway. But I guess I had hoped..._ Shrugging it off, she turned around and trekked back until she was at the start of the other path.

_Well...here goes nothing._

"Ack! Chewy!"

The Teddiursa looked up guiltily from the Venipede he had just knocked out.

Luna let out a long breath and ran her fingers through her hair. "I'm glad you're getting stronger, Chewy, but if possible I'd like to catch another teammate before you knock them out!"

Chewy growled softly.

"Just try to go easy on them next time, okay?"

Luna sighed, but pride swelled deep in her chest. Her precious companions were gaining strength by the day, and it warmed her heart to see them working so hard for her. Especially because it was paying off – at this rate, they would have no trouble getting through the forest. Luna's worries had been needless. Gently Luna tiptoed around the Venipede and continued on her way, listening carefully for any signs of another wild Pokemon. Sure enough, it was only a few moments later when Luna caught a movement in the corner of her eye.

Chewy didn't need any orders. With a glance from his Trainer, the chubby little bear was in pursuit, teeth bared in anticipation of a fight. Luna raced after him, though it was hard to keep up; it seemed that she lost Chewy each time she caught up to him.

When Luna finally found him, a shocking sight awaited her. Chewy was caught in a vicious fight against a Sewaddle. Blood trickled from a cut near the Teddiura's eye and fur flew everywhere, yet despite the hits Chewy was still flailing furiously against the bug Pokemon.

"Chewy, Chewy, stop it!" Luna tentatively took a few steps forward, but then stopped, unsure of how she could break up the fight. Then she had an idea. Quickly she reached for Chewy's Pokeball and returned him in a flash of red light; the injured Sewaddle took the opportunity to flee.

Luna released Chewy and looked over him in concern. Aside from the cut and the various scrapes and scratches, he didn't appear to be too badly injured, but he was panting with exhaustion.

"That's it, then," Luna declared firmly. "No more battling for you today." She returned Chewy to his Pokeball again and released Laddie. The Lillipup glanced up at her with a calm gaze. "I guess that means it's your time to shine now, Laddie!"

It was then that Luna felt a small stirring in her chest, a slight pang of unease. She vaguely wondered if perhaps she should go back to Nacrene; with three out of four Pokemon out for battling, it surely wouldn't be a good idea to try the rest of the forest alone. The Pinwheel Forest Pokemon were a lot tougher than she had anticipated.

_But then again,_ Luna reasoned, _Blaze and Xander will be ready to battle tomorrow, and Laddie needs training anyway. It'll be dark soon anyhow, and as soon as I set up camp it'll be fine; Laddie can handle any of the Pokemon here anyway. Nothing bad will happen._

As it turned out, Luna was dead wrong.

A couple of hours later, Luna had set up a campfire and laid out her sleeping bag. Chewy, Blaze and Xander were still resting inside their Pokeballs, but Laddie was still out. Despite a long day of training, the Lillipup didn't appear to be too exhausted so Luna allowed him to stay out.

Luna doused the fire and crawled into her sleeping bag. As soon as her head hit the pillow she found that her eyelids were becoming heavy and sleep was already overtaking her. She noticed Laddie sitting up and alert a few feet away.

"Laddie," she mumbled, "C'mere. You don't have to sit all the way over there..." The Lillipup, however, ignored his trainer's words and continued to sit vigilantly alert. Then Luna understood.

"Oh, you're keeping watch?" Laddie's tail wagged ever so slightly. "Good boy, Laddie. Good boy..."

As the girl finally dozed off, Laddie continued to stay alert, his tail thumping ever so quietly on the moonlight ground.

Maybe it was the acrid burning smell that woke up Luna. Or perhaps it was Laddie's frantic yipping. Whichever it was, by the time she jolted awake, both were overloading her senses.

Luna sat up and immediately began coughing. Smoke was everywhere. Where was it coming from? She looked at her own fire; completely out. The source of the smoke was elsewhere.

Then she spotted an orange flicker above the trees in the distance, rapidly moving closer. _Fire! There's a forest fire! We need to get out!_ She stumbled out of her sleeping bag and recklessly began shoving things into her pack in a disorganized manner, including her Pokeballs.

_Pokeballs. Wait...Laddie!_ "Laddie! Laddie, where are you?" The urge to cough again rattled her lungs, but Luna did her best to stifle it. "Laddie, where _are_ you?"

The Lillipup's barks were near. Luna stumbled around the clearing until she finally found the puppy Pokemon. "Laddie, Laddie, calm down, I'm awake now. Thank you for waking me up, we need to go now..."

But Laddie didn't relent in his barking. If anything, he seemed to be more urgent. His entire body was bouncing with the force of his yips. There was something beyond the smoke, something more important than the fire, that he wanted Luna to see...

Then she saw it. _Oh God, no._

At first, Luna hadn't been able to see them because they blended so well with the leafy foliage. But even through the smoke, their eyes gleamed with a malevolent shine. It was a massive swarm of Sewaddle, all eerily still in the midst of the quiet crackle of the flames. Luna recalled the Sewaddle that Chewy had injured earlier, and then thought about the fire.

_They must be extremely agitated...what should I do? What if they attack?_ Trying to remember what her father had taught her about wild Pokemon, Luna decided on her course of action.

"Alright, come here, Laddie...no sudden movements..." Slowly she scooped up the Lillipup and began backing away, not making any eye contact with the Sewaddle.

All was going well until a loud groaning noise reached Luna's ears. She glanced up just in time to see a flaming tree make its crashing descent onto the earth. Luna shrieked as it fell, the nearby ground shaking from the impact. She hadn't realized just how close the flames really were, but now bits of burning leaves and branches were raining down everywhere.

Luna wasn't concerned about being slow anymore. _We have to get out NOW._ She started to run, doing her best to weave her way around the plants and flames. She wasn't on the path anymore, and so she found herself constantly jumping over trunks and dodging around trees.

Behind her, she heard an ominous hum as the Sewaddle began to rapidly move in on her. _Why are they acting so aggressively?!_ Remembering a little of what her father had taught her, Luna recalled that in a situation like this, most Pokemon would be fleeing the fire, but these Pokemon seemed to want nothing more than to attack Luna.

Something was dreadfully wrong.

Luna soon found herself gasping for air as she continued stumbling through the forest. The smoke grated on her lungs; that, compared with her panicked running and having to carry her bag and Laddie, wore her down quickly.

Luna had to slow down to get out a bout of coughing when, without warning, her foot caught on a stray root. She hit the ground hard. Laddie tumbled out of her arms and rolled on the ground. Luna scrambled to her feet just as the swarm of Sewaddle descended upon them.

"Laddie–AAUGH!" The Sewaddle were everywhere. Luna swung her arms wildly, trying to bat them away. She blindly reached for her bag and desperately attempted to grab a Pokeball, but it was soon thrown from her hands, and she couldn't find it after that.

A burst of golden light suddenly shone in front of Luna's eyes. She had to cover her face for a moment; when she removed her arms, the Sewaddle had scattered. Laddie stood strong and defiant, larger than before; he was now a newly evolved Herdier.

Determined to protect his mistress, Laddie stood his ground in front of her as the previously startled Sewaddle began to regroup.

"Laddie," Luna said shakily, "Come here." Laddie ignored her orders.

"Laddie," Luna pleaded, "Please come here. We need to get away. Now!"

Laddie still made no move to leave from his spot. He stood unwavering among the bits of burning forest. As the Sewaddle came down to attack again, the last thing Luna saw was a glimpse of Laddie's hackles rising.

This time, the Sewaddle aimed all their focus on Laddie. Luna was left ignored as the swarm grouped around the Herdier. Luna desperately tried to get them away, but to no avail.

Tears of desperation sprung in Luna's eyes. "Stop it! Stop it! Get away! LADDIE!"

"Luna!"

Luna's head whipped around. Of all the people to show up at that moment, the very last one she would have expected was Zoe. She was dressed in strange clothes; a red vest over a black-and-white shirt, and dark gray shorts underneath. Accompanied with red-and-white gloves and sneakers, Luna didn't know what to think. _What is Zoe–_

"Luna, I'm here to help." Zoe's voice wasn't her usual easygoing smooth tone, but a sharp, commanding sound. "Get back!" Numbly Luna watched as Zoe took out a strange device that shot out a disc; a pale blue beam followed the disc as it shot towards the Sewaddle.

Several of the Pokemon scattered away when the disc shot towards them; the ones who stayed were surrounded in the ring of light and almost instantly calmed down as soon as the disc completed its circles. One by one Zoe calmed the swarm with her strange device.

"Luna," Zoe said again, "I'll take care of the Sewaddle. You need to get Laddie to a Pokemon Center. _Now._"

"B-but–"

"_Do it!_"

Too afraid to argue any further, Luna hurried to Laddie's side. She took in a sharp, shuddering breath when she saw him. The Sewaddle had injured him severely; to what extent, she didn't know, but the amount of blood was almost too much to bear.

Tears instantly began streaming from her eyes as Luna gently scooped Laddie into her arms and dashed away from the clearing. This couldn't be happening. _This can't be real._

But it was. Each pounding footstep, each hiccupping breath, each inhalation of thick smoke screamed out _this is really happening._ But more than anything, anything in the world at that very moment, Luna wished it was just a nightmare.

Luna almost collapsed with relief when she felt Laddie stir in her arms. Slowly the newly evolved Herdier opened one eye and gazed up at his mess of a mistress – eyes streaming, nose running pathetically, hiccupping and shaking from sobs.

More to comfort herself than Laddie, Luna began to murmur words under her breath. "It'll be okay, Laddie...you're a good boy...you're such a good boy...good dog, Laddie. Good dog. Good dog..."

The Herdier slowly closed his eyes as Luna continued to methodically chant her comforting words.

"I love you, Laddie. I love you, I love you, good boy, I love you..."

It was a quiet night in the Nacrene Pokemon Center. No one milled about in the waiting area; the only person in sight was a receptionist nurse who quietly shuffled papers behind the counter.

The slow evening, however, was soon disrupted. The automatic doors slid open and in burst a white-haired teenage girl, barefoot and dressed in pajamas, covered in blood, holding a bundle of fur in her arms.

"Please help me!" she practically screamed, her throat hoarse and hysterical. "He's hurt, I mean, Laddie, m-my Lillipup, I mean, I mean my Herdier, he's hurt really b-badly, s-some Sewaddle attacked, the fire..."

The nurse calmly hurried out from behind the counter and inspected the girl's Pokemon. The Herdier had been hurt badly; the cuts from the razor attacks of the Sewaddle caused him to lose a lot of blood. The girl, too, was a mess; her face was dirty from smoke, and streaked with tears. The nurse signaled for a Chansey and the large pink Pokemon quickly wheeled out a stretcher.

"What happened?" the nurse asked steadily.

The girl took in a few deep breaths to calm herself, but it wasn't enough to keep the remaining sobs from heaving in her voice. "I w-was camping in Pinwheel Forest when Laddie, my Lillipup, woke me up...there's a f-fire..." The nurse gently took the Herdier from the girl's arms, felt for a pulse, and laid him on the stretcher.

"...and then this swarm of Sewaddle attacked. We tried to run, b-but then I tripped and they caught up and then Laddie evolved and now he's hurt and –"

"I see," the nurse interjected. The level of panic was rising in the girl's voice, and the last thing she needed was a hysterical Trainer. Gently she put her hand on the girl's shaking shoulders as the Chansey wheeled away the Herdier. "You need to go and clean yourself up. I promise that we'll do all we can to help your Herdier."

The nurse didn't have the heart to tell the girl that the Herdier was already dead.

_To be continued..._


	12. Chapter 12 - Endure

_**Finding You – Chapter 12**_

**Endure**

_Luna began her trek through Pinwheel Forest, only to be awakened in the middle of the night by a forest fire – and an angry swarm of Sewaddle ready to attack. With her other three Pokemon injured, Laddie was the only one who could retaliate against the swarm – and ended up getting severely hurt in the process. Thanks to Zoe's startling and mysterious appearance, Luna and Laddie were able to escape back to the Nacrene Pokemon Center, but it may not be in time._

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Eleventh Entry_

Since I disbanded the street battlers, a small, dark part of me was almost wishing for something else exciting to happen so that I'd have something to do. Terrible thoughts, I know. But I couldn't help it; I was getting bored in Castelia, something that I figured would never happen among the bustle and hustle. That is, until yesterday.

The media has been taking great interest in a sort of organized crime group that calls itself 'Team Tenebris.' Their motives are a mystery; thus far, it appears that they have no goals, no aspirations…except to terrorize. They're nothing but a bunch of terrorists with the intent of hurting and scaring people.

So yesterday, I found myself walking down the more narrow alleys of the city when I encountered a suspicious looking meeting…

* * *

Luna sat unmoving in the corner of the Pokemon Center's waiting lobby. She was the only one in the room. It was rare for a Pokemon to need care so early in the morning; Luna was perhaps the only visitor in months that they had had at such a time.

Luna had followed the nurse's instructions. She had taken a shower and changed into the standard issue spare clothes the Center provided, but it didn't make her feel the slightest bit better.

Luna didn't even have the strength to cry anymore. Already she had drained herself of tears hours earlier. Instead, she continued to perch unmoving in her slightly fetal position; hunched over, knees curled up to her chest, head down.

At first all she could hear was her own breath. But then she began to hear other things too; the tick of the clock on the wall, her own heart thudding dully in her chest, the buzz of fluorescent lights. Anything to take her mind off Laddie.

_I'm such an idiot._

_After Chewy got hurt, I should have just turned back._

_I made the biggest mistake of my life, and now Laddie's going to pay the price for it._

A deep sob shuddered through her lungs, but no tears.

_How come I'm the one that's lucky? How come I'm not the one who gets hurt instead of my Pokemon? Dad always said...that Pokemon are here to protect us. But he was wrong. They're the ones that need protecting. From us. _

Luna didn't flinch when the intensive care door finally opened. The clack of the nurse's heeled shoes seemed loud and out of place in the quiet hospital.

A hand gently rested on Luna's shoulder. "Miss...I'm so sorry to have to tell you this, but...your Herdier...it was too late, we did all we could, but..."

_He's gone._

Luna gave the most imperceptible of nods, just enough to make the nurse go away. Luna hadn't needed to be told this.

She had already known.

Somewhere, deep inside of her, a tiny part of her heart had already felt it when Laddie died. She had known even as she was yelling hysterically at the nurse when she first burst in.

Perhaps a different part of her had still held hope. Perhaps she had still thought that there was a small chance to revive him. _But hope is useless, isn't it?,_ she thought bitterly. _Because 'hope' just means depending on luck when the odds aren't likely. And luck eventually runs out._

_Oh, Laddie...I'm so sorry..._

An exhausted Zoe entered the Nacrene Pokemon Center, relieved to find Luna safely inside. Dixie trudged tiredly at her heels, her normally lush Vulpix fur tinged with soot.

Despite her gladness in knowing Luna was okay, Zoe's heart sank when she noted the girl's expression. When Luna looked up, all Zoe could see was tiredness, tears, and ultimately utter defeat.

"Hey, Zoe." Luna managed a wobbly smile. "Thank you for...everything out there. I wouldn't have gotten away if you hadn't been there..."

"Don't worry about it." Zoe sat down in the seat beside Luna with a sigh. A few seconds of uncomfortable silence passed before she spoke again. "Luna, I–"

"Laddie's dead."

Zoe swallowed hard. "Oh, Luna...I'm so sorry..."

Luna didn't respond for a few moments after that. Zoe ventured, "Luna?"

"I think...it's just...I wonder if maybe this is a sign."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you get it?" Luna looked at Zoe miserably. "You'd think that being the daughter of a Pokemon scientist wouldn't make me so stupid, but...I screwed up. I messed up everything. Laddie's gone, and my other three Pokemon are hurt. What kind of Trainer am I?"

"Everyone makes mistakes, especially when they're first starting out," Zoe told her calmly. "You're still a fairly new Trainer –"

"I should know better by now. I keep making mistakes. What if one of the others gets hurt? What if I'm just not cut out for it? I don't...I don't need to be a Trainer to find my dad. I can do it without that. It might be for the best –"

"Do you even realize what you're saying?!" Zoe exclaimed. "Luna, you've already gotten two Gym badges. You can't just _quit._"

"Yes I can!" Luna snapped back. Then her tone became softer. "Zoe, I'm just...afraid...now. I'm afraid that I'll do something else stupid to hurt the others. I'm afraid that this whole journey is useless. I don't know if I want to keep doing it."

"Okay then," Zoe said. "But think of it this way. Do you think that Laddie would have fought those Sewaddle if he wanted you to give up? If you don't keep trying – or at least don't do something worthwhile – then he'll have died for nothing."

Luna's eyebrows furrowed in thought. But then she said, "You don't understand, Zoe."

"Actually," she said, "I do." Zoe swallowed. "You see, I sort of lied when I said I was a Trainer. The truth is, I'm actually a Pokemon Ranger. That's how I was able to stay behind and capture all those Sewaddle. It was with my Capture Styler, which is a special device for capturing and calming down Pokemon." She took it out and showed it to Luna.

"That's also why Dixie is my only Pokemon onhand. She's my Partner Pokemon – the one Pokemon I'm allowed to have with me. But the reason I know so much about Pokemon isn't just because I'm a Ranger – I used to be a Trainer."

"Why aren't you anymore?"

Dixie jumped onto Zoe's lap, and the pink-haired girl began to stroke her, quietly becoming lost in thought. "When I was ten, I started training Pokemon and traveled through the Kanto region. If I do say so myself, I was pretty dang good. I earned all the badges until I got to the last Gym leader.

"In the battle, I lost my Ninetales. She had been my very first Pokemon; a gift from my dad before I started out.

"After she died, I just lost it. After having her for so long, I just couldn't keep going. I never did get that eighth badge, and I didn't challenge the Elite Four. Instead, when my family moved to Almia, I moved with them, and decided to become a Pokemon Ranger instead. I guess I thought that I could make up for my failure as a Trainer somehow by being a Ranger.

"But then I realized that I hadn't been a failure at all. The chance of a Pokemon dying in battle is really low, but sometimes it happens. It's just one of those things. And because I decided to quit, I never got that badge, and I didn't keep going. She died for nothing."

Luna sat in a mesmerized silence.

"Don't get me wrong," Zoe said, finally looking over to meet Luna's eyes. "Being a Pokemon Ranger is one of the best jobs in the world. But now my badge case will always have that one empty slot, and I'll never be able to answer 'What if?'. Do you get what I'm saying?"

Luna nodded.

"So there you have it." Zoe stood. "Luna, you have tons of potential. So don't make the same mistake I did. If you're going to take the challenge, then go all the way. Or at least, go for however far you're aiming to go. No matter what happens, you shouldn't stop just because things don't go as planned, mmkay?"

Zoe allowed the words to sink in for a moment before briskly moving on. "Now, I'm going to go patrol Pinwheel one last time to make sure that the fire doesn't start again...I managed to put it out with some Water Pokemon, but you never know. I'll be back later."

As she started to leave, Luna stood also. "Wait, Zoe. I just have one more question."

Zoe turned. "What?"

"If your Ninetales died, then...where did you get Dixie?"

Zoe smiled. "Dixie's her daughter." With that, Zoe waved and walked out of the Pokemon Center to greet the sun as it just began to show itself over the distant Pinwheel tress.

_To be continued..._


	13. Chapter 13 - Recover

_**Finding You – A Pokemon Black and White Fanfiction – Chapter 13**_

**Recover**

_Laddie's death shook Luna's confidence to her very core, and she couldn't help but wonder if this was a sign for her to give up. However, after encouragement from Zoe, who revealed herself to be a former Pokemon Trainer now working as a Ranger, Luna was able to gather her courage to continue her journey so that Laddie's death would not be in vain..._

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Eleventh Entry Continued_

…and I found none other than members of Team Tenebris attempting to implant a Voltorb bomb in the streets of Castelia.

Quickly I took out my Pokemon and asked what was going on. They tried to flee, but I managed to subdue them with my team. Only one man got away. When I turned them into the police, they confessed everything, including information about their missing comrade.

He was Grey's father.

So that's why Grey hadn't wanted me to investigate. He didn't want me to know that his father was a criminal. He didn't want me to know that his father was someone who he couldn't look up to.

When the police went to speak with Grey, I went with them. Without his father there, Grey had no one else to live with; that had been his only family. But to our surprise, Grey told us, "I hated my dad. I'm glad he's gone. I don't need a home. I'm going to go on a journey and become a Pokemon Trainer. "

He didn't even look at me once during the whole ordeal. But as I began to leave, I heard his voice say "Thank you, Mr. Mond." When I turned around, he was dashing away.

* * *

"I finally made it!"

Luna took her last few steps through Pinwheel Forest and inhaled a deep breath of air. After traveling through the woods for two days, she was ready to see some civilization.

Laddie's death occurred a week ago, and while it was still fresh in Luna's memory, it didn't hurt as badly as before. However, in her new paranoia, Luna made sure to train her Pokemon heavily before attempting the forest again. This time, though, it was a lot easier than before, although the charred remains around her were a constant reminder of what happened.

She stepped through the building at the edge of the forest to make her way onto Skyarrow Bridge. Once she did, though, her breath caught in her throat.

The sight of the massive bridge, combined with the deep blue sea beneath her and the skyline of Castelia City on the horizon, was enough to make anyone gape. Cars and trucks zoomed by on the highway underneath her feet, and the salty sea breeze whipped Luna's hair crazily around her face.

_I have to share this with Zoe,_ Luna thought. Luna dialed the Xtransceiver on her wrist and waited a few rings before Zoe picked up.

"Hey, Luna. 'Sup?"

"Oh my gosh, Zoe, this view is incredible! I just feel so small and insignificant yet really amazed at the same time, everything is so beautiful, I can't believe it…"

"Lemme guess. Skyarrow Bridge, right?"

"How did you know?"

"I have my ways. Guess you made it through Pinwheel okay, huh?"

"Yeah, this time…"

The conversation had suddenly taken an awkward turn. Luna regretted the way she had phrased her words as soon as they came out of her mouth. "Well, I mean—"

"It's okay to remember what happened, Luna," Zoe told her. "It's not something you can or probably ever will forget. The important thing is that you move on, and you're doing that now, aren't you?"

"Y-yeah, that's true…"

"I do have one thing to say on the topic, though." Zoe spoke slowly, as if choosing her words carefully. "The fire. I was part of an investigation, and I discovered that the fire wasn't natural. Someone set it artificially. And the police think it's that terrorist group that's been in the papers lately…"

"Hang on a sec." Luna dug out the paper from the side pocket of her bag. "I have a newspaper with an article in it that I got in Striaton City. Team…Tenebris, right?"

"Right. After a search, I figured out that Tenebris means 'darkness' in Latin. Kind of ominous, wouldn't you say? But I guess a group that just goes out and destroys public property isn't exactly trying to make itself look good."

"So you think that…Team Tenebris started that fire?" Luna asked incredulously.

"Yeah, all the signs point to it. Why?"

"…No reason. Anyway, I'm going to make my way to Castelia from here. I'll talk to you later, Zoe."

"Okay, see ya."

As Zoe's face disappeared from the screen, Luna continued to silently gaze out at the sea from Skyarrow Bridge. A handful of recreational boats sailed easily along the waves, their billowing white sails puffing out from the wind.

_Maybe my mom was right. If Team Tenebris was able to strike so close to where I was, who knows if they could do something else along my journey? Should I go home?_

No. I just promised to keep going for Laddie, if nothing else. Plus, I still need to find my dad. Which reminds me…I wish I had some clues about where he could be.

Then a horrible thought crossed her mind. _What if…my dad doesn't actually want to see me after all? If he kept no contact at all, maybe that means he doesn't care? What if I'm just on some wild goose chase?_

She sighed. _I need some guidance…_

Having been so deep in thought, it took Luna several moments before she realized that her bag was shaking. With a gasp of surprise she dropped it, and as the bag hit the bridge surface a small white Pokemon bounced out. It studied Luna with curious eyes.

_A Pokemon?! How…_ Luna whipped out her Pokedex and awaited to see what it said.

"_Cottonee, the Cotton Puff Pokemon. When attacked, it escapes by shooting cotton from its body. The cotton serves as a decoy to distract the attacker."_

"Ah, how cute!" Luna exclaimed. "I bet you snuck into my bag during the forest, didn't you?" Luna tossed out her Pokeball. "Blaze!"

The Blitzle popped out of the Pokeball and glanced to Luna expectantly.

"Blaze, use Thunder Wave! I want to catch it!"

Blaze attempted to shoot a spike of paralyzing electricity at the puffy Pokemon, but it smoothly dodged and began to bounce away.

"Darn it! Come on, Blaze, let's go!"

Together Luna and Blaze raced along the bridge, making their way closer to Castelia with every step. The Cottonee, however, seemed to use the wind to its advantage, and was able to make its way a lot quicker than Luna and Blaze were able to.

Luna began to slow down as exhaustion began to catch up with her. Pausing briefly to catch her breath, she watched in despair as the Cottonee continued to blow away without her.

_It's heading into the city,_ Luna noted. _Maybe I'll be able to encounter it there. I mean, it couldn't be too hard, right?_

Wrong. Almost as soon as she entered the city, she found herself in an overwhelming wave of hustle and bustle. People of all shapes and sizes flowed through the streets, ignoring one another, each with their own destination in mind. Buildings that seemed to break through the clouds towered above, and with every step Luna felt more and more closed in.

It wasn't long before she lost sight of the Cottonee entirely. Luna decided to let it go. But as she returned Blaze to his Pokeball she began to think.

_What if the Cottonee gets lost somehow, and isn't able to find its way back to its natural habitat? A city's no place for a Grass Pokemon…_

As she pondered what to do, Luna thought she saw a small white object in the corner of her eye.

_Cottonee!_ Not wanting to lose sight of the Pokemon, she began to run, doing her best to keep an eye on it without running into any people.

As she rounded a corner, though, she smacked straight into a tall man with poofy brown hair. Stumbling backwards, she ended up tripping over her own feet and landed on the sidewalk. The man offered a hand and helped Luna up.

"I'm so sorry," Luna babbled apologetically, feeling extremely embarrassed. "I'm such a klutz, I'm sorry I ran into you…"

The man waved his hand dismissively. "No worries, no worries! Things like this happen all the time in this crowded city. I do wonder, though, where you're going in such a hurry?"

"Oh!" Luna frantically looked around, but Cottonee had once again escaped her sight. "I was looking for a Cottonee…I'm a Trainer, and it snuck into my bag when I was in Pinwheel Forest, and ended up here. I want to get it out of the city, because I'm worried it won't do well without the forest…"

"Hm, that IS a problem, isn't it?" The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If you like, I could direct you to a few places where a Cottonee might find itself in this city. Actually, the wind's blowing north right now, so I'd bet anything that if it's somewhere in this city, it's at the Central Plaza."

"The Central Plaza?"

"Yes, it's a park-like area that connects all the streets of Castelia in one place. It's a lovely place to do some painting, if I do say so myself. It has some trees and grassy areas, so that would be my first spot to search."

"Okay, thank you so much!"

Before Luna hurried off, however, she studied the man's face closely. He looked vaguely familiar. "Excuse me, but have we met before?"

The man shook his head. "I don't think so. However, you may have seen my face in the papers before." He stuck out his hand. "My name is Burgh, the Bug-type Gym Leader of Castelia City. If you decide to challenge me, my Gym is located, well, on Gym Street. I'd love to see you there!"

Luna shook his hand before he strolled off, casually whistling and stepping lightly on the sidewalk.

_He seemed nice enough,_ Luna thought to herself. _Somehow, I get a vibe from him that seems a little…different. But not in a bad way. Kind of a creative way. After I see about Cottonee, maybe I'll challenge him; I DID get some training done in Pinwheel Forest…_

The sun wasn't quite below the horizon, but it may as well have been; Luna couldn't see it anyway through the massive silver buildings surrounding the city.

Though Luna had spent the latter half of the day in the Plaza searching for the Cottonee, there was no sign of the poofy cotton Pokemon.

_I guess I should just let it go,_ Luna thought wearily, slowly walking down the street on her way to the Pokemon Center. _The wind is still blowing north, so I'll bet it blew right through Castelia. Oh well. There will be other chances._

Proudly she glanced down at her Pokeballs, containing her team that had worked so hard. Despite not locating the Cottonee, it had been a relaxing yet fulfilling day; she had participated in a few battles with other Trainers in the park, and while she didn't win every one she felt like she was gleaning more knowledge with every match.

_I think I WILL challenge Burgh tomorrow,_ Luna thought decidedly. _We're up for it. We're ready. Blaze knows Flame Charge, so it might be an awfully quick battle._

Then Luna caught herself and tried to shake herself out of it. _Wow, Luna. Way to be overconfident. Burgh will probably have a lot more up his sleeve that what I'm expecting. I can't just assume I'll win._

She rounded a corner and immediately noticed the Pokemon Center. _That's it. Time to turn in for the night._

_Burgh, just you wait!_

* * *

"Gym Leader Burgh, my name is Luna Mond, and I challenge you to a match!"

The stylish Gym Leader took one look at his honey-soaked challenger and did his best to stifle a giggle.

"I understand that you need to have SOME kind of challenge," Luna mumbled, "but now I'm all sticky!"

It was only 9 in the morning, yet Luna had gotten up bright and early to challenge Burgh. However, his Gym's challenge – walking through a maze of sticky honey walls to get to his arena – had quickly become frustrating.

"No worries," Burgh assured her. "I AM considering remodeling. I'm thinking a challenge involving silk cocoons would be a lot less…bothersome."

"Definitely," Luna muttered. Despite her frustration from the honey, though, she smiled. "Are you ready for a battle?"

"Always."

"All right!" Luna tossed her first Pokeball high into the air. "Blaze!"

The Blitzle materialized out of the ball and gave a high whinny of anticipation.

"An electric type?" Burgh asked. "Interesting. You _aware_ that bug types are weak to fire, not electricity, right?" He threw out his own Pokeball. "Whilipede!"

"I'm aware. Blaze, Flame Charge!"

Without even allowing the Whirlipede a chance to strike, Blaze began his charge, and slammed into it with a burst of speed and flame. In one hit, the Whirlipede was down for the count.

"Wow," Burgh mused. "Impressive. I hate to snuff out such fiery fighting spirit! Go, Dwebble!"

A crablike Pokemon emerged from the Pokeball. Luna was about to command another Flame Charge when something stopped her.

_Burgh said to 'snuff out'…now, maybe that's just what he said, but if I'm not wrong, that shell on the Dwebble's back is made of rock…and fire is barely effective against it! Time to send out my next Pokemon!_

"Nice job, Blaze!" Luna encouraged. "I'm going to give you a quick break, though. Go, Xander!"

The Dewott landed in the arena midair, happily bouncing from foot to foot in excitement.

"Dwebble, use Sand Attack!"

"Hurry, Xander! Razor Shell!"

The Dwebble, however, was already kicking up dust, and Xander ended up throwing his Scalchop wildly. The Dewott started to blink and rub its eyes.

"Dwebble," Burgh cried, "Smack Down!"

Xander anxiously began to run blindly, unsure of where his opponent was. "Careful, Xander!" Luna urged. "Just wait for my instructions!" Xander turned his head towards her doubtfully, hearing the sound of her voice but unsure of whether to obey.

"Trust me." Luna used the most reassuring tone she could manage. "Just face forward and wait for my command."

Xander reluctantly followed his mistress's orders. However, he could feel the Dwebble approaching and began to squirm nervously.

Just as the Dwebble was almost upon him, Luna shouted, "Water Gun, full force!"

Without hesitation, Xander gushed out a huge blast of Water Gun, completely throwing the Dwebble back into the wall, where it lay knocked out.

"Yes! Xander, you're so awesome!" Luna scooped up her Dewott and gently placed him down again. "Nice work. I think you're done for this battle, though." Returning Xander, she eyed Burgh carefully as he returned his Dwebble.

"You're proving to be a real strategist, Luna!" Burgh exclaimed. "Excellent. Lenora told me to watch out for you. Go, Leavanny!"

Burgh's final Pokemon appeared on the field as Luna debated who to send.

_Leavanny is…um…I know a bug type, but is it any other type? Oh, that's right, it's Grass! Blaze has got this easily!_

"You know Lenora?" she asked, though her mind wasn't really focused on the question. "It's your turn again, Blaze!"

"She and I are old friends," Burgh explained. "Leavanny, Razor Leaf!"

"Blaze, Flame Charge!"

As the Blitzle ran full force towards the Leavanny, the leaves that were aimed at him burned before even touching his skin. He collided with the Leavanny, but to Luna's surprise he bounced off easily. It was only then that she noticed a glowing blue sheen of light around the Leavanny.

_What is…_ she glanced at Burgh, who gave her a satisfied smile.

"Protect. One of the most useful defensive moves out there. It can completely block almost any physical attack."

_Dang. But maybe…if not a physical move, maybe…_ "Blaze, try Thunder Wave!"

The Leavanny attempted to recreate its shield, but it seemed to fail. Blaze took his opportunity and shot a wave of electricity at the Leavanny. Instantly its movements began to slow as the paralysis set in.

"Blaze, use Charge, then follow with a Shock Wave!"

Blaze focused as his fur began to rise with the electricity. He then unleashed a massive gold ring from his body. It hit the Leavanny full force, and yet it still wasn't able to move. Burgh gritted his teeth.

"Finally, use Flame Charge! Give it all you've got!"

Blaze ran, and with a fantastic finish KO'ed the Leavanny in a blaze of flames and sparks dancing around him.

Burgh nodded his head in defeat and returned Leavanny as Luna gushed over her Pokemon.

"Blaze, you were wonderful! I guess you really live up to your name, huh?"

"The same can be said for you," Burgh told her with a smile. He walked across the arena and placed a badge into her palm. "This is the Insect Badge. Not gonna lie, you really deserve it!"

"Thank you very much," Luna told him humbly, placing the badge carefully in her badge case. A wave of satisfaction and happiness overcame her. "I can't believe I did it!"

"I can. That battle was a breeze for your Pokemon, except for when your Dewott got a little hung up there. Your strategic use of your Pokemon's trust really helped."

"I-I don't really like to think of me _using_ their trust, more like just pulling through because we both want to win," Luna explained. "But Burgh, what do you mean, 'the same can be said for me' living up to my name?"

"There was a professor who came through Castelia a few years ago named Professor Dominic Mond. Are you related?"

Luna's heart began to beat a little faster. "Yes! He's my dad!"

Burgh's eyebrows shot up. "I didn't even know he has a family."

"Y-yeah, he does, but he and my mom divorced awhile back…"

"Oh." Burgh swallowed. "Well, I recall he came through Castelia and caused quite a stir. He set some punks straight who were wreaking havoc on the streets."

"Really?" Luna's face lit up in admiration. "That's my dad! Where is he now?"

"Oh Luna, that was years ago. He left after that. I do know, though, that he ended up making a name for himself around this area after that. He wanted to travel, though, so he left after only a couple of months."

"Ah…I see." Luna tried not to let her disappointment cloud over her joy from defeating Burgh. "Well, thank you very much! It was a good match."

"It was indeed."

"Oh, and…Burgh?"

"Yes?"

"Please tell me I don't have to go through all that honey again."

* * *

Luna dropped her Pokemon off at the Pokemon Center before taking a walk to Skyarrow Bridge again. She needed time to think, and there was no better place than the beautiful bridge late in the morning.

_A lot of people seem to have met my dad, but no one knows where he went,_ Luna thought, gazing out at the indigo morning sea. _Professor Juniper, Burgh…where could he have gone? And why hasn't he contacted me at all yet?_

_Winners of Gym Badges get their names printed in the paper weekly. I'm just hoping that there's a chance my dad will see one of those papers and be able to find me._

_Come on, Dad…where could you have gone?_

She stood in silence for a few more moments, thoughts whirling in her head, when she noticed the sound of wings flapping above her. Spinning around and looking up, she took in a sharp breath of surprise to see a large Braviary making a landing on the bridge…

With none other than Touya Black as its passenger.

_To be continued…_


	14. Chapter 14 - Sunny Day

_**Finding You – Chapter 14**_

**Sunny Day**

_After recovering from the loss of Laddie, Luna made it to Castelia – but to her surprise, a Cottonee had slipped into her bag! As she chased after it, she ran into Gym Leader Burgh, who helped her think of a way to find the Cottonee. However, the puffy cotton Pokemon was nowhere to be found. Soon after, Luna decided to challenge Burgh – and after an exciting battle, she won the match! Now taking a break, who should she see but none other than Touya Black himself…_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Thirteenth Entry_

I asked the police what they knew about this Team Tenebris business. Very little is known about them, except that they are terrorists that abuse Pokémon's abilities for destruction and violence. Other than Castelia, they were rumored to have entered Nimbasa. I've decided to make that my next point of destination, Luna. Wish your old dad luck.

* * *

"Heyyy, Luna!"

Touya waved enthusiastically as his Braviary made its majestic landing. Hopping off the gigantic Eagle Pokemon, Touya jogged over to where Luna was standing.

"Long time no see!" he exclaimed. "Wow, it's been awhile! Look at you, your hair's gotten longer!"

Self-consciously Luna hand felt her hair. He was right; it almost reached down to her shoulders now.

"I was just flying around, you know, and I was looking at Skyarrow Bridge – it's pretty amazing, huh?—and then I saw someone with white hair, and I thought, _She looks familiar,_ so I decided to land and wouldn't you know it, it's you! How are you?"

"Good," Luna told him shyly. "I've got three Gym badges now…"

Touya whistled. "Really? Way to go! Just beat Burgh, huh?"

"Yeah! It was actually easier than I expected. It's a good thing that my Blitzle knows Flame Charge."

Touya nodded. "Definitely. I remember when I battled Burgh, it was super easy because I had not only my Pignite, but I had also just caught a Darumaka from Route 4. It's on the way to Nimbasa City…hey, I just had an idea!"

"What is it?"

"Would you…well, would you maybe want to go see Nimbasa with me?" Touya smiled. "It's just about the most fun place in the world. There's sports, and a theater, and even an amusement park! I mean, that is, if you don't have anything else planned…"

"I don't," Luna told him honestly. "I'd love to!"

Touya's small smile stretched into a toothy grin that was quickly becoming familiar. "Great! Well then, hop on. It's only a few minutes away when we're flying!"

Tentatively Luna stepped onto the Braviary's back, the warm feel of its feathers tickling her hands as she climbed. Touya sat in front of her and signaled for the bird to take off.

Luna nervously clutched his waist as they became airbone, watching the silvery city fly by as Braviary rose higher and higher. The urban scene quickly melted into a harsh desert route, but to Luna's surprise there didn't seem to be any sand flying around.

"There used to be a big sandstorm here," Touya shouted back to Luna, "but it finally cleared up awhile back."

As soon as the route ended, a completely new view took form. Luna inhaled a sharp breath at the sight of Nimbasa City – filled with flashing lights and colorful buildings, it was unlike anything she had ever seen before.

The two Trainers landed in front of the Pokemon Center, and as Touya returned his Braviary to the Pokeball he asked, "Soo…what should we do first?"

"I'm not sure," Luna admitted. "I mean…wow. This place is amazing!"

"It's even cooler at night," Touya informed her, "when the lights are really shining and everything…if we stay here that long, maybe we can see the Ferris Wheel at night, 'cause that's even better! There's also the Musicals and the sport events…do you care which one we go to first?"

"Not at all! But…oh no, I left my Pokemon at the Pokemon Center! Am I going to need them?"

"Nope! Today, you're not a Trainer, you're a spectator. I think maybe the sports stadium would be best to try first, because it has specific hours. Let's go!"

Touya happily led Luna through the streets, intent on the sports stadium. The atmosphere in Nimbasa was completely different than that of Castelia. It wasn't full of stiff businesspeople and crowded streets; the streets were still busy, but in a more relaxed way, and the people smiled as Luna and Touya passed.

_I love this place already,_ Luna decided.

When they arrived at the Stadium, a football game was ready to begin. As they settled in their seats, Touya pointed out to her the players he knew.

"I used to come by here a lot when I was preparing to challenge Elesa," he explained, "and most of the players challenged me to battles sometimes! It was awesome."

"Wait, Elesa? So Nimbasa City has a Gym too?"

"Yep. She's a Gym Leader, but also a model. She uses Electric types and is pretty smart about her strategies. You'll need more than just brute strength to beat her; since she's so smart with her strategies, you'll need to be too."

Luna found that she was enjoying Touya's company more than she had remembered on the boat ride to Unova so many weeks ago. He liked to talk, and Luna liked to listen; combined, they were able to have pleasant conversations that didn't feel awkward or forced. It was a good feeling.

After the game, as they stepped outside, something in the air caught Luna's eye. Squinting to see what it was, it appeared to be a small, cloudlike shape…"Cottonee!"

Touya turned. "What?"

"There's a Cottonee!" Luna pointed into the sky. "I think it's the same one I met before. See, it snuck into my bag…"

She explained what had happened, and as she finished Touya didn't hesitate. "Well then, let's go see if we can chase it!"

"A-are you sure? I mean, isn't there more you want to do?"

"It's barely one o'clock in the afternoon," he assured her. "There'll be plenty of time! Let's go!" He took off, Luna close behind as they chased the Cottonee through the colorful streets of Nimbasa.

As they ran, Touya glanced back to make sure Luna was still following. "This reminds me of that one time on the ship!" he exclaimed breathlessly.

"Just like…old times," Luna quipped. Touya laughed.

The Cottonee bounced gently on the wind until it flew near the Musical Theater. As Luna and Touya rounded a corner, however, it seemed to disappear.

"Maybe…we should try…the Theater," Touya suggested, breathing heavily from running. "We could catch a Musical…while we're there…"

"I think…that's a great…idea!" Luna agreed. "Let's go!"

They purchased their tickets and entered the Theater, taking in the sight of all sorts of crazily dressed Pokemon and Theater enthusiasts. Luna did her best to keep an eye out for a stray Cottonee, but it was nearly impossible in the crowds.

"Maybe we can just forget about it for now," Touya suggested lightly. "If there's one thing I know about Pokemon, it's that they're resourceful. Even if we don't find the Cottonee, it'll probably find its way home on its own."

"I hope so," Luna said. "But you're right. I'd like to see the Musical; I've never seen one before!"

"They're pretty fun," Touya told her. "Today's Musical is actually going to be run by a special Theater troupe that does this professionally, so it should be really exciting. Most Musicals I've seen were the ones with Pokemon raised by Trainers."

As they were guided into the dark Theater, Luna collided with a tiny purple-and-black Pokemon bouncing out the doors.

"Get back here!" a man shouted angrily. As the Pokemon tried to run past, Luna scooped it up into her arms and recognized it as a Gothita.

"I'm so sorry," the man apologized, taking the Gothita back into his arms. "This one is always unruly. She never wants to go onstage." The Gothita gazed up at the man with sullen blue eyes.

"Are you one of the members of the theater troupe?" Luna asked curiously.

"Yes!" the man answered proudly. "We're _The Midnight Visitors_, a travelling Pokemon Musical group. Our opening performances usually occur at midnight, but this is our last performance in Nimbasa so that's why it's in the afternoon." He glanced down at the Gothita. "I don't know what I'm going to do about this one, though. She's always so difficult when it comes to going onstage…"

"Maybe she doesn't want to perform?" Luna suggested.

The man shrugged. "I don't think that's possible. Odette here was hatched here in the troupe. She couldn't possibly want anything else." He smiled and gave a little wave. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go backstage. I hope you enjoy the performance!"

As the man hurried away, Touya shook his head and sighed. Luna glanced at him curiously.

"He seems like a nice guy," Touya explained, "but he has absolutely no connection with that Gothita at all. I'd bet anything that Gothita hates doing Musicals."

Luna gazed in the direction that the man and the Gothita had gone. "That's pretty sad…"

Touya shrugged. "Pokemon have been in worse situations. Like when Team Plasma started invading Unova a couple of years ago. Now _that_ could've ended up badly…"

"I heard about them," Luna said. "They wanted to liberate Pokemon, right?"

"Right. It was pretty crazy. Their main leader, N, actually had good intentions, but his dad actually didn't care at all. It was pretty intense."

"And you took them down all by yourself?"

"Oh no," Touya said modestly, "I had plenty of people helping me. It was a group effort…but, well, I _did_ end up defeating their leader on my own."He coughed. "Not gonna lie, I'm pretty proud about that."

As the pair continued to talk and chat, the lights suddenly dimmed, and the theater grew quiet. Luna eagerly leaned forward in her seat as the Pokemon made their way onstage. After several minutes, Luna decided that the show was cute, but nothing out of the ordinary.

It was then that she noticed the Gothita from earlier now making its appearance onstage. She was going through the motions, but even Luna could tell that her heart wasn't really into it.

Just as the climax started, the Gothita suddenly stopped its dancing altogether and stood still on the stage, refusing to do any more. Luna and Touya glanced at each other and waited to see what would happen next. The stubborn Pokemon refused to cooperate even after prompting from the wings by the human cast members.

A few murmurs of concern resounded through the theater from the audience, wondering if this was part of the show or if something was wrong with the Gothita. As Luna looked around the audience nervously, a small object in the corner of the ceiling caught her eye.

_The Cottonee!_ she thought in amazement. _It really did get in here!_ The cotton Pokemon floated its way toward the front, passing unnoticeably over everyone's heads, before landing gently on the stage. The two Pokemon made their way toward each other and studied one another in curiosity.

The announcer for the show quickly called for an intermission and strode out onto the stage. "Whosever Cottonee this is, please return it to your Pokeball so that the show may continue."

For a few moments, silence. Then Luna hesitantly stood up.

Touya grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?"

"Getting the Cottonee. I'll be right back."

Without further explanation, she left her seat in the audience behind and stopped in front of the stage, her head level to the feet of those standing on top. Her face was burning with self-consciousness.

"Cottonee," she said loudly, "Return!" More quietly she added, "I'll release you later."

The Pokemon glanced between her and the Gothita uncertainly, but when she tossed the Pokeball, it didn't resist. Quickly Luna took the ball in her hand and hurried back to her seat.

Touya's eyebrows rose. "That was impressive," he said. "You mean it just let you catch it?"

"I promised that I'll release it later," Luna explained. "I think it likes that Gothita, though."

"Hmm."

A few minutes later, the stage crew managed to send out a different Pokemon to take the Gothita's place, and the musical continued. The whole time, however, Luna found her mind wandering back to the Gothita and the Cottonee, and she wondered what the Cottonee would do once it was released.

_Will it just run off again? Or will it go back to the Gothita? They seemed to be pretty curious about each other. If I do release it, I had better do it back in Pinwheel Forest like originally planned. But what if it just goes back through the city? I guess I shouldn't worry about it, but…_

Soon the lights turned on, and the audience rose in their seats. Luna turned to Touya.

"I…kind of want to apologize to the theater people," Luna told him. "I mean, what happened didn't even have anything to do with me, but since they think the Cottonee is my Pokemon, I think it would be best."

Touya shrugged. "Go ahead," he said. "Want me to come?"

"W-well, sure, but only if you want to."

Touya nodded and smiled. "Sure!"

None of the stage crew were in sight. Cautiously Luna climbed onto the stage and poked her head behind the curtain. "Hello?"

The crew was busy packing up. Luna approached the man who had been chasing the Gothita earlier, noting that he had _Stage Manager_ written on his shirt. "E-excuse me…"

He looked up. His eyebrows furrowed when he saw who it was. "Hello…"

"I wanted to apologize for my Cottonee's behavior today," Luna said humbly. "I…hadn't been able to find him, so that's why he wasn't in the Pokeball. I'm sorry if he was the reason that Gothita was distracted."

The man shrugged, though Luna could tell he was trying to hide his surprise at her apology. "It's okay. Gothita has acted up like that for the past few shows anyhow. I don't know what we can do about her. I've been thinking about letting her go now for quite some time, but she's been tame all her life – even with natural instincts, I don't know if she'd be okay in the wild."

Touya had his hand resting thoughtfully on his chin. "Do you know of anyone who could take her?"

"No. We travel around so frequently that it would be hard to find a good Trainer who would be willing to take her."

"Well…" Touya turned to Luna. "Luna, why don't you take her?"

"Me?"

"Well, sure. I think Gothita would be a great addition to your team. Plus, she liked that Cottonee, right? I think they'll get along pretty well. What do you think, Luna?"

Luna had to think for a moment. _This is kind of sudden…I wasn't planning on having any new team members for awhile. But Touya's right. Gothita would be a great new member for my team. But…what if I decide to release the Cottonee? He and Gothita were getting along. I guess we'll see, but…I really would like Gothita._

She looked up at the man and smiled. "I'd love to take her, if you'd let me."

The man only appeared to consider it for a moment before nodding decisively. "I guess it would be okay. You apologized for your Cottonee, which shows that you're pretty responsible, even if you are a bit inexperienced." He took Gothita's Pokeball from his belt and handed it to Luna.

"Please…take good care of her. She wasn't good onstage, but I think…I think she'll be better off traveling around with a Trainer."

Luna took the Pokeball in her hands. "I promise."

Touya glanced at his Xtransceiver. "We need to go, Luna. There's still a lot to do." He turned to the man. "Thank you so much for this."

The man shook his head. "No, thank _you_."

As Luna and Touya walked away from the backstage area, Luna couldn't help but glance behind her. The man stood alone among the props and costumes, seemingly lost in thought.

_I hope this was the right thing to do. Gothita, I promise I'll do my best to take care of you._

Outside, Luna released her entire team, including Gothita and Cottonee. The two new Pokemon looked around confusedly.

"Hi, you guys," Luna said. "I'm Luna." She looked at Gothita. "I'm going to be your new Trainer, if that's okay. But I'd like to call you something other than Gothita. What do you think?"

The Gothita's deep blue eyes, formerly sullen with attitude, now seemed brighter as she looked up at her new Trainer.

"Gothitas get more elegant as they evolve," Touya commented. "Maybe you could give her something fancy?"

"Um…"

"Hey, how about Odile? I saw Swan Lake when I was really little with my mom, and the black swan was named Odile. And you know, Gothita's black."

"Isn't the black swan evil, though?" Luna asked. "What about the white swan, Odette?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Alright then." Luna smiled. "I'm going to call you Odette."

Odette blinked indifferently, but she didn't seem to dislike the name, so Luna decided it was okay.

"And Cottonee." Luna looked at him. She was half-surprised that he hadn't tried to run off already. "As promised, I'm going to release you; but if we do, it's going to be back in the forest where you belong. Do you want to go?"

Cottonee sidled closer to Odette, seeming reluctant.

"Maybe he wants to go with you," Touya said. "He really seems to like Odette."

"He does," Luna agreed. "But…I don't know if I can handle two more team members at once."

"Of course you can," Touya said encouragingly. "You've gotten so much better than when I met you on the boat. I think you can handle it."

Luna frowned. "If you say so..." Still, she looked at Cottonee. "Would you like to go with me?"

The Cottonee flew up and nestled himself on top of Luna's hair.

"I…guess that means yes!" Luna smiled. "Welcome to the team, you two!"

* * *

It was already dark as Touya and Luna made their way onto their last attraction for the day – the famous Nimbasa Ferris Wheel. The lights of the city glistened like millions of colorful stars behind the two as the ride began its slow turning.

Touya leaned back in his seat in satisfaction as Luna gaped at the brilliant city sights. "Incredible, isn't it?"

"Amazing," she agreed. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"

"The city looks great at night," he mused. He stretched. "Have you decided on a name for the Cottonee yet?"

"Sort of," she said, still gazing at the bright attractions outside. "He seems kind of quirky. I'm thinking I'll name him Lamar. My dad used to have a Meowth named Lamar, and both of the Pokemon have similar personalities."

"I see."

There were a few moments of silence as the ride continued in its circle. Luna searched her mind desperately to think of something to say, hoping Touya wouldn't feel that the conversation was becoming boring or awkward.

She turned away from the window to sit forward and look at him. "Touya, I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me."

Touya sat up straighter. "Like what?"

"Well, I-I mean, you've always just been so _nice_ to me. On the boat, you taught me a lot about Pokemon and you helped me catch Chewy. And then, today, we had so much fun…it's a little overwhelming. I wish we could meet up more often."

"Why can't we?" Touya grinned. "Ditching Champion duties can become a regular thing. Here, I'll give you my Xtransceiver number…if you'll give me yours."

"O-of course!" The two swapped numbers, and the conversation took another temporary silence.

"It's really no problem," Touya said finally. "Being nice to you, I mean. I've always tried to be nice to people because it makes their day, and sometimes you can make new friends. Like us. We're friends, aren't we?"

"Definitely!" Luna agreed, nodding enthusiastically.

_Touya really is a great person. And somehow, I feel really great when I'm around him. Sometimes I get a little nervous and flustered, but he never seems to care._

_I wonder if…if maybe…I'm starting to like him…?_

Touya opened his mouth as if he were about to say something when a violent shaking suddenly rocked the ferris wheel. Luna let out a shriek of surprise as the whole car swung dangerously around. Luna found herself falling over to Touya's side as another blast rocked the ferris wheel.

"What's happening?!" Luna gasped.

"I don't know," Touya said, "but we need to get out of here." He peered through the window. "I think someone set off a bomb. The ferris wheel's on fire."

Luna's heart pounded fearfully as she heard shrieks and screams outside. "Oh no, Touya, what should we…?"

"Hang on tight." Touya threw his shoulder at the window in an attempt to break the glass, but nothing happened. He grabbed a Pokeball from his belt. "Reuniclus!"

A large Psychic Pokemon popped out of the ball, barely fitting in the car.

"Break the glass with your Psychic attack," Touya ordered. The Reuniclus's eyes glowed purple. Touya pushed Luna behind him as the glass suddenly shattered into hundreds of pieces.

"Good work," Touya told his Pokemon, returning it as he released a different one. "Braviary!" The giant Eagle Pokemon hovered just outside their car. "Fly us out of here!"

Touya and Luna hopped aboard the bird's back and soared away from the chaos. Luna looked down at the wreckage of the Ferris Wheel, suddenly seeing the problem. Large, jagged fissures were running right through the carnival grounds, tearing up earth and downing machines. The Ferris Wheel was right in the path of one of the biggest ones.

"It looks like there was some kind of horrible earthquake!" Luna exclaimed to Touya.

Touya didn't respond right away, and Luna wondered if he had heard her. That's when she realized that he was looking very intently at something down below. Braviary stopped and hovered catiously in the air, still close to the carnival but far enough away as to be safe from the chaos.

"That wasn't a natural earthquake," Touya murmured darkly. "That's the kind of move I've seen Ground Pokemon use in battles. And there's the source right there." Luna followed his gaze to see a Tyranitar making earthquakes in the ground, seemingly ordered by men and women in dark uniforms.

"Is that…Team Tenebris?" Luna gasped.

Touya glanced at her. "You've heard of them?"

"Just in the papers. Why would they want to destroy the carnival?"

"I don't know," Touya said, "but I intend to find out. Hang on…I'm going in."

_To be continued…_


	15. Chapter 15 - Fury Attack

_**Finding You – Chapter 15**_

**Fury Attack**

_After defeating Burgh, Luna went to Skyarrow Bridge to contemplate the location of her father, only to run into Touya! He invited her to spend a day with him in Nimbasa, city of entertainment, and together the two of them had a great time. When going to see a Musical, however, they ran into the Cottonee that Luna had pursued earlier, as well as a Gothita that was reluctant to go onstage. After some mishaps and apologies, Luna ended up keeping both Pokemon, with only one thing left to do for the day – ride the Ferris Wheel! But just as Touya and Luna enjoy a quiet moment together, the Ferris Wheel is rocked by a sudden earthquake, caused by none other than Team Tenebris…_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Fourteenth Entry_

I arrived in Nimbasa yesterday only to find that the rumors were far worse than anyone could have imagined. Almost the entire city has been overrun by the terrorists. I had heard that Nimbasa was a city full of fun and amusement, a great place for tourists, but the streets are empty and the city is still.

The only person out roaming who I found was a beautiful blonde-haired woman wearing strange yet stylish clothing, questioning a Tenebris grunt. With my arrival, the terrorist managed to get away. The woman introduced herself as Elesa, Gym Leader of Nimbasa, who was facing the terrorists alone on the streets. I asked her why the police weren't doing anything, and she explained how the police, with their standard Growlithes and Magnemites, had been no match for the Tenebris grunts' personal well-trained Pokemon. Because of the attacks, she said, the tourists have gone, and as she put it, 'Nimbasa thrives on tourists seeking entertainment. If the entertainment's gone, so are the tourists, and this city goes down the drain.'

* * *

Touya and Luna swooped down near the Ferris Wheel, landing amongst the very picture of chaos. Civilians everywhere were running and screaming, abandoning the carnival as the ground beneath them continued to tremble. A few fires had started from lamps and lights crashing onto the ground.

Touya hopped off Braviary and started to run. Frantically Luna dashed after him.

"Wait!" she exclaimed. "Where are you going?"

He stopped and turned to her. "To stop the Tyranitar," he explained. "I'm the Champion; my Pokemon are the strongest in the region. It should be easy. You don't need to come with me."

"Are you sure…?"

"Yeah. Your Pokemon are a lot weaker than mine right now; I don't know if they'd do any good."

He had a point, though Luna hated feeling useless. _Touya's been doing everything so far,_ she thought, ashamed. _He got us out of the Ferris Wheel, and now he's going to stop the Tyranitar. All I can do is panic and sit there. I wish I wasn't such a wimp…_ "Is there anything that I _can_ do?"

"Well, let's see. Do you have any Water Pokemon?"

"Yes, a Dewott."

"Great. Have it put out the fires with Water Gun. I'll be back when I can."

Without another word, Touya ran off again, leaving Luna amidst the panicking people.

_All right then._ Luna released Xander from the Pokeball. "Xander, let's start with the Ferris Wheel. Use Water Gun on the flames; I'm going to see if anyone else needs help."

After a while of searching, it appeared that the carnival was empty now. Without the screaming and running of the citizens, it felt eerily quiet, save for the crackling of a few flames and the distant wails of police sirens.

_At least the earthquakes stopped,_ Luna thought, _though that doesn't mean this is over yet._ As if on cue, a few icy blasts shot through the trees in the distance, followed by a menacing roar.

_Touya must be fighting the Tyranitar still._ As Xander extinguished the last fire, Luna praised him and returned him to his Pokeball. _Maybe I should see what's going on._

Sprinting through the deserted carnival, Luna followed the sound of Pokemon battling to the edge of the grounds, soon leaving behind the well-lit carnival to the darker outer edge. Previously, a river had run through the area surrounding the carnival, but several of the cracks were draining the water away, so it was now shallow enough to wade through.

As soon as she made it across, Luna continued to run and made her way into the forest. It wasn't long before she encountered Touya and the Tenebris grunts. Not sure of what to do, she stayed hidden in the shadows.

Before her was an enthralling sight. Touya had out three Pokemon – a Beartic, Simisage, and Emboar. The three Pokemon were tirelessly fighting off the enemies' Pokemon in a flurry of flames, vines, and shimmering ice beams. It was unlike anything Luna had ever seen.

_I don't think I've ever seen a battle like this in my life,_ Luna thought in awe. _It's…amazing. And Touya's so focused. He doesn't have to hesitate at all in his commands._

_I want to be like that someday…_

Luna averted her gaze to where the Tyranitar was lying still, knocked out cold. It was no longer a threat. Then Luna turned her attention to the grunts. The newspaper that she had gotten in Striaton had only offered a glimpse of their appearance, so now she was able to get a closer look as to what they really looked like. Their faces were covered with bandannas to conceal their identities, but other than that none of them appeared to have the exact same uniform – all wore dark clothes, but aside from that similarity they looked almost ragtag, hardly a real group.

Luna reminded herself that looks can be deceiving. _Even if they don't look 'official', they're still horrible people who made that Tyranitar attack the carnival, and all the other things they did. I…I want to go and help Touya, but he was right. My Pokemon aren't strong enough to face them yet. I'd just get in the way._

Unsure of what to do next, Luna stood awkwardly behind the trees, wondering if she should go back and contact the police, when she heard Touya's voice.

"Tell me who you're working for," he demanded, grabbing one of the grunts by the collar of his jacket. "Why did you try to destroy the carnival? Why are you trying to hurt people?"

"It's none of your business, little boy," the grunt snapped. "Don't interfere."

"I'll interfere as much as I want to. As the Champion, it's my duty to do my part. Now tell me!"

It was then that Luna noticed one of the grunts sneaking towards the Tyranitar. "Touya, look out! The Tyranitar!"

Touya turned. "Luna?"

Too late. The grunt sprayed the Tyranitar with a Revive, and almost instantly the green dragon Pokemon rose to its feet. With all its might, it let out a powerful Roar that blew Touya and Luna tumbling into the trees. When they looked ip, Team Tenebris was gone, and so was the Tyranitar.

Luna got up first and helped Touya to his feet.

"Thanks," he sighed. "But that was frustrating. I couldn't get any information from them, and they still have the Tyranitar. I didn't do anything."

"That's not true!" Luna exclaimed. "You stopped them from destroying the carnival any more than they already did, and you messed up their plans at least temporarily. That sounds like a lot to me."

Touya rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess," he said finally. "But I'm still mad. How did things go for you?"

"Fine. Xander put out all the fires, and there wasn't anyone left in there that needed any help."

"Xander?"

"My Dewott."

Touya smiled. "Nice name." He started walking. "C'mon. The police should be at the carnival by now, and they'll want to know what happened."

* * *

"And that's it?"

Luna and Touya nodded.

The policeman tapped his pencil on his chin thoughtfully. "Okay. Thank you for your cooperation. We'll do our best to track down this Team Tenebris, though so far they've managed to elude us every time. They're a very mysterious group."

They stood on the grounds of the wrecked carnival, now swarmed with policemen and curious citizens. Touya looked around.

"Where's Elesa?" he asked. "Her Gym is just nearby. Is she okay?"

"Elesa isn't even town," the policeman answered. "She headed out on a modeling job for a few days, so the Gym's been closed. Her Gym seems to be okay, though."

"Was anyone hurt at all?"

"No, it doesn't seem so. We're lucky." The policeman gave a small smile. "Thanks again for your help. You can go now."

"Thanks, Officer." Touya looked to Luna. "I can fly you back to Castelia, if you want."

"That would be great," Luna admitted, "but maybe it should wait until tomorrow. I'm sure that Braviary's tired, and to be honest, I am too. I think it could wait…I mean, if that's okay."

"Oh yeah, that's fine. Come on, let's go to the Pokemon Center."

As Touya and Luna walked through the glowing town, Luna could no longer appreciate the spectacular sights and sounds.

_Tonight was really scary. Mom had a point when she said she wanted me to come home. I guess you don't realize how bad a problem is until it hits close to home…_

_But I'm just one person…so what could I possibly do?_

To be continued…


	16. Chapter 16 - Focus Energy

_**Finding You – Chapter 16**_

**Focus Energy**

_When Luna and Touya went on the Ferris Wheel together after a fun day in Nimbasa, their good time was suddenly interrupted by an unpleasant shaking – an earthquake! After using Touya's Pokemon to escape, Touya and Luna worked to find the source of the earthquakes, only to find that Team Tenebris had a Tyranitar which they used to destroy the carnival. As Touya questioned one of the grunts, however, the Tyranitar used Roar to blow Touya and Luna away, allowing Team Tenebris to escape…_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Fifteenth Entry_

I offered to team up with Elesa to subdue the terrorists, and she accepted my help. She said that Tenebris had made the carnival their headquarters for the time being – even being so bold as to have it right out in the open – so together we made our way there. When we arrived, the grunts were immediately upon us, but Elesa and I fended them off with our powerful Pokemon. Though my Pokemon are much stronger than hers, I admire her use of strategy and her Electric Pokémon's paralyzing abilities to subdue her opponents.

We finally reached the person in charge, a sinister-looking woman who was simply addressed as 'The Director' by her peers. And…my God. Luna, I thought your mother was a frightening sight when she's angry, but this woman intimidated me just with her eyes. She acknowledged us with startling calm as we approached.

* * *

"Touya, thank you so much for inviting me to Nimbasa."

Braviary landed gently and waited as Touya and Luna dismounted onto Skyarrow Bridge. The bright mid-morning sun shone brightly, promising a clear day.

"You're welcome," Touya answered cheerfully. "I'm only sorry it had to end so badly. With the carnival and all…"

"Oh no, I still had fun up to then. I'd love to do it again sometime…"

"Really?"

"Sure!"

Touya looked around the bridge. "Are you sure you want to be dropped off here? I mean, you already beat Burgh. You sure you don't want me to take you back to Nimbasa?"

"No thanks," Luna said. "I'd still like to look around a little more before going back. But thanks anyway!"

"I guess you're right," Touya said. "Speaking of going back, I had probably better get back to the League. I bet I have a bunch of challengers waiting. Keep in touch, alright?" He climbed back onto Braviary's back. "See you!"

"Bye, Touya!"

Luna waved until Touya was gone, then pondered what to do next as she walked into the city.

_Oh, poor Chewy,_ she thought suddenly. _He hasn't been out walking in a long time. I had better let him out now._

As soon as she released the Teddiursa onto the sidewalk, he growled quite menacingly.

"Sorry!" Luna apologized. "Come on, let's walk around some. Maybe if you're good, I'll buy you some treats."

Chewy still appeared sullen.

"Well, fine then, Mister Grouch." Luna looked around at the people bustling all around her. "Let's at least get out of these crowded streets. I don't want to lose you."

Luna scooped Chewy into her arms and made her to way to a quieter part of the city, away from the sea of bodies crowding the streets. At first, it was nice; she and Chewy were able to enjoy a calm walk. However, after a few twists and turns, Luna found herself becoming lost.

_Maybe straying away from everyone else was a bad idea,_ Luna thought. Inwardly she facepalmed. _Of course it was a bad idea. In big cities, there's all sorts of bad people who might hurt me. Ugh, now I'm not thinking again! I have my Pokemon with me to fight off anyone who could hurt me…come on, Luna, you can do better than that._

Luna checked the map on her Xtransceiver in an attempt to pinpoint her location. _Oh, wow. I'm right on the edge of the park. I couldn't even tell._ Cautiously Luna poked her head into a narrow alleyway. _Alleyways aren't exactly the safest places in the world, but it doesn't look like anyone is in here. I think it might lead to another street. Maybe if I just cut through it really fast…_

Luna forced herself to jog briskly through the alleyway. _Keep going, keep going, keep –"_

"Oof!"

"Waah!"

Luna stumbled backwards and hurried back out of the alley. "Oh my gosh, Chewy, I stepped on something!"

Chewy gave her a look.

"I know, I know, but I don't know what it was…"

Chewy growled and started to walk back into the alley.

"W-wait, Chewy…"

Left without a choice, Luna reluctantly followed her companion. This time, though, she kept a sharp eye open, though as the alley continued the sunlight grew dimmer and dimmer. She felt practically blind as she tread with care, wondering if she would accidentally step on…whatever it was…again.

"Back again, are you?"

Luna froze as a new voice sounded in the dark alley.

"You stepped on me a couple minutes ago," the voice informed her. "It hurt. And you woke me up."

"U-um, I'm really sorry," Luna babbled apologetically, as Chewy began to growl. "I really didn't mean to, I didn't know you were there. I'm just cutting through here because I'm lost, and my map says that this alley leads to the main street, so I wanted to get out there, I'm really sorry, please don't –"

"Arceus, you talk too much." From behind a trashcan stood a fairly tall male figure, though his face and clothes were hard to make out in the dim light. To Luna's surprise, he was only a few inches taller than her; he seemed to be a teenager.

"Well, I'm sor—"

"And you apologize too much." The person stretched. "Honestly, what's your problem? Relax. You're being really annoying."

Luna frowned. "I am _not_ annoying. I think you'd be startled too if you just ran into someone in an alleyway, when you're worrying about creepy people and muggers, and just trying to get back to where there's light and lots of people!"

"If you're worrying about muggers and creeps, why cut through the shadiest part of town?"

"It's the shortest way—"

"And also probably the most dangerous. I might as well leave myself, so I'll go too."

"No, thanks, I'll be fine—"

"I'm not going _with_ you, just in the same direction. You're not that special."

Luna felt heat rising to her cheeks as she stormed ahead. _What a jerk! There's so many things I should say to him…_

As the two of them reached the other side, now instantly integrated with the busy sidewalks, Luna spun around. She was prepared with an icy retort, when just as suddenly the words died on her lips.

The boy who she had been talking to was not who she expected him to be. He was a teen, yes, not very unusual, with scruffy black hair and icy blue-gray eyes, but it was _how_ he looked that startled her. His face and arms were covered in cuts and welts, and his right eye was badly bruised.

Luna gasped. "What happened?"

"What do you…_OH._ Crap. I forgot that's why I was in the alley in the first place." The boy touched his eye gingerly and winced. "I got into a fight."

"W-what kind of fight? I mean, are you okay?"

"Sure. There were some guys harassing these girls, so I walked up, and I said, 'The hell you think you're doing?' and one of the guys said, 'None of your business', and I said, 'Well then I'll make it my business', and the guy said, 'You wanna fight?' and I said yeah, and here we are."

"Oh my gosh, that's awful."

"Nah." The boy seemed to warm up to the conversation, as if he was proud of the story. "I like picking fights because I'm good at them. I would've battled them with my Pokemon, but none of them had any. Morons. I bet they couldn't train Pokemon if they tried."

"Are…are you hurt? I mean, of course you're hurt, but do you think you need any medical treatment? Because there's a hospital—"

"Do you _ever_ stop talking? Look, I'm fine. I was all worn out after the fight so I just took a nap where I was, right there in the alley. I beat those guys up anyway. I've been in worse. Besides, why do you care so much anyway?"

"Well…I don't like seeing people hurt…and if I can, I like to help…"

"I guess that's nice, but I'm good." The boy studied Luna's face carefully. "Hey, you look kind of familiar. Have we met before?"

"I don't think so…"

He smiled. "Well, you're kinda cute when you aren't stumbling over yourself trying to apologize. Want to hang out?"

Luna's face flushed, both startled and flattered. "What? N-no way! I just met you!"

"Well, at least I'm not some creepy old guy, right? You could have met anyone in that alley, but you were lucky enough to meet _me_." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Grey. I'm a Trainer from here, and I've been traveling around since I was little, but I just now came back to Castelia. What's your name?"

"I'm Luna…and this is Chewy." Luna gestured to the Teddiursa cautiously.

"Oh, are you a Trainer too?"

"Yeah…I just got my third badge from Burgh."

"Hey, that's pretty cool. I decided not to do the Gym challenge, but I do like to battle and stuff. Maybe we could train together? The desert on Route 4 is a great place to start. It's got some tough Pokemon, but nothing a Trainer who just got their third Badge couldn't handle. You sure you don't want to come?"

"Well…maybe…"

Grey jumped at his chance. "Great! Let's start tomorrow then, okay? Just meet me on Route 4, and I'll show you the best places to find Pokemon, and maybe we could even go to the Desert Resort."

"Hang on, I'm not really sure if I—"

But Grey was already melding into the crowd of the busy streets until Luna couldn't see him anymore. She sighed.

"Chewy," she said, looking down at her companion, "What did I just get myself into?"

Little did she know, however, that both she and Grey were being watched.

_To be continued…_


	17. Chapter 17 - Foul Play

_**Finding You – A Pokemon Black and White Fanfiction – Chapter 17**_

**Foul Play**

_When Luna returned to Castelia, she became acquainted with an energetic teen boy named Grey while taking a shortcut through an alleyway. Though the two of them seemed to get on each others' nerves, Luna ended up agreeing to accompany Grey to Route 4 to train Pokemon…_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Sixteenth Entry_

Continued from my last entry. Elesa and I won the battle, and yet the woman still refused to back down. I grabbed her collar and demanded to know who she was working for; I've never had to be rough like that with anyone before, and I felt uncomfortable doing it, but I had to remind myself that these are criminals.

Suddenly, a phone rang. Everyone was silent. It was a cellphone that was on a nearby table, one of the temporary ones that had been dragged in to make the camp. Commanding everyone to freeze, I picked up the phone and answered it. A voice on the other end of the line, a grunt, not knowing that he was speaking to an outsider, informed me that they were preparing 'the attack in Driftveil, and that the boss would like more backup.'

An attack? In Driftveil? The group is worse than I thought. I left the grunts to Elesa to take care of (she had already contacted the police) and now I'm preparing to fly to Driftveil. I only hope I can make it there in time.

* * *

Route 4 was once a brutal desert pathway, filled with sifting sands and relentless sandstorms. Over the span of several months, however, the construction of a newly renovated road and modern buildings was finally completed. However, that doesn't stop Trainers from using the tough desert to their advantage…

"Not again!" Luna exclaimed. She winced as she returned Chewy to his Pokeball. "Wow, Grey, you're really good."

Grey stood a little straighter. "Heck yeah, I'm good. I'm the best!"

The two Trainers stood ankle-deep in sand off the side of the Route 4 road. Over the course of a week, Luna had grown used to Grey's company, finding him more tolerable than he had seemed during their meeting – but only barely. Grey, too, had become less critical of Luna's chronic bashfulness, and combined each Trainer made for a good training partner.

"Where did you get Helios anyway?" Luna asked, gazing at Grey's lithe Lucario curiously. "He's really strong."

"I've had him since I was little," Grey explained, stepping over to his Pokemon to hand him a berry of some sort. "Helios is the only Pokemon I've ever trained, which probably explains why he's so strong – he's faced all sorts of type advantages and disadvantages and knows how to deal with them."

"I wish I knew how to train my Pokemon like that," Luna admitted a little enviously.

"Well, that's why we're training now, aren't we? So the both of us can get stronger. Here, send out what's-her-name again."

"You mean Odette?"

"Yeah."

Luna released the tiny Gothita a few feet in front of her.

"So…Odie, right?"

"Odette!"

"Yeah, yeah. Odette is a Psychic type, and those are super effective against Fighting types like Helios. If she lands a hit on him, even though your Pokemon are a lot weaker than Helios, it could do some good damage. The trick is to teach your Pokemon ways to evade certain kinds of attacks.

"Go ahead and start a battle. Just use any moves you normally would."

"Okay…" Luna thought for a moment before giving Odette her first command. "Odette, Psyshock!"

Immediately Odette formed a colorful Psychic glob and hurled it at her opponent. The move was quick, but Helios dodged it easily, leaving the glob to impact and explode in a sand dune behind him.

"But that's just with a physical attack," Luna said. "What about something that's harder to see?"

"I've trained Helios to always be alert," Grey explained. "With the way Pokemon's natural instincts work, they think that if a target is invisible, they aren't there, and they think it's safe, so they let down their guard. Helios, however, has great reflexes and reaction time, so if he sees a Pokemon stealthily moving in for an attack—"

Luna looked around and noticed Odette was nowhere to be seen.

"—he can dodge in time."

Odette suddenly reappeared behind Helios. The Lucario, without hesitating, let loose a backwards spinning kick that landed Odette in a nearby hill of sand. The Gothita quickly bounced back, unharmed, but clearly outmatched.

"That's pretty cool," Luna admitted, "but Helios can't dodge everything. Odette, Telekinesis!"

As Odette's eyes glowed, Helios quickly rose off the ground.

"Good. Psyshock!"

Odette hurled another blue-purple ball of energy at Helios, effectively knocking him out in one hit.

Grey whistled. "Nice one. I think Odette's a lot stronger than your other Pokemon."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, Helios has been taking hits all day, so that helps, but I'm surprised she's still a Gothita. She should be able to evolve now at any time."

"Wow." Luna scooped Odette into her arms and smiled into the eyes of the tiny Gothita. "I can't wait!"

* * *

"So you think you're ready to face Elesa?"

Luna nodded as the Pokemart line moved forward a few inches. All around them was the mild hubbub of the Castelia Pokemon Center, significantly more crowded than the Centers from smaller towns. "I think so. All my Pokemon have gotten stronger, and your tips have really been helping. Maybe tomorrow I'll go to Nimbasa and challenge her, if she's back."

"Back?"

"Yes." The line moved forward again. "I went to Nimbasa once already, but she was gone on a trip."

"Oh." Grey yawned. "Well, whatever. Let's feed your Pokemon and heal up. I know we already ate dinner, but maybe we could find some dessert someplace."

"Where are you thinking?"

"I dunno. There's this ice cream stand called Casteliacone that you might like. I went there a lot with a friend when I was little."

Finally it was Luna's turn to check out. She handed the clerk the can of Pokemon food that she had picked out, her usual brand, and paid.

"You go on outside," she said to Grey. "I'm going to use the restroom. Should we meet up at the park?"

"Sounds good," agreed Grey, before playfully adding, "don't get lost in any alleyways on the way."

Luna smiled. "I won't."

When she came out of the restroom, she grabbed her bag and headed outside. The late afternoon sun was still bright in the sky, though it cast long shadows on Castelia through the massive skyscrapers and apartment buildings.

When Luna found Grey and Helios in the park, she released all of her Pokemon and gathered them around to eat.

"Does Helios want any?" Luna asked.

Grey shook his head. "Nah. I fed him already."

All of Luna's Pokemon were happily chowing down, though Chewy seemed to be casting the occasional hostile glance at Helios, which the Lucario returned with an amused gaze.

Grey's voice broke the ambiance. "Hey, what's wrong with Odie?"

Luna almost replied with an exasperated retort before she had completely processed what he had said. She looked down. Every Pokemon on Luna's team was happily eating except for Odette, who snubbed it with surprising stubbornness, even at Lamar's prompting.

"I…I don't know." Luna knelt down. "Odette? What's wrong? This is the brand I always get. Do you not like it? You ate it just fine a few days ago."

Odette gazed deeply into Luna's eyes before glancing at the food, then back to Luna.

"I don't know what she's trying to tell me," Luna admitted. "Odette, are you sick? What's wrong?"

"Luna," Grey interrupted darkly, "look."

She looked. Xander had stopped eating and had wandered a little ways away from the group. He seemed to walk with an uncharacteristic sluggishness, highly unusual for his energetic personality. After a few moments, he began trembling violently.

"Xander!" Luna ran to him as Grey followed. "Xander, what's the—"

The Dewott didn't even glance at her before he began to retch onto the grass.

"Oh my—" Luna couldn't even finish her sentence as Blaze staggered weakly to the grass and began exhibiting the same behavior as Xander. One by one her other Pokemon followed suit.

Grey ran to the food dishes and yanked one off the ground, inspecting it closely and dipping his finger into the mush. "It's the food!" he exclaimed. "It's laced with Pokemon poison!"

Luna didn't answer immediately. Already she was returning her Pokemon to their respective capsules. Grey cautiously walked up to her.

"Hey, don't panic, okay? We'll get them to the Center."

Luna inhaled a shaky breath. "Okay. Let's go." Together, she and Grey started to sprint.

_Odette knew,_ Luna thought despairingly. _She knew about the food. I wish I could have understood her sooner._

* * *

"What the hell kind of food are you selling here?"

The Pokemart clerk backed cautiously away from the infuriated Grey as Luna quietly approached behind him. "W-what do you mean?"

"This!" Grey thrust the empty can of food into the clerk's face. "It's got Pokemon poison in it. Why are you selling this?"

"I…I didn't know." The clerk seemed genuinely perplexed. "Several other customers purchased the same brand today and we've had no complaints."

Luna stepped forward. "I don't know what happened," she said quietly, "but my Pokemon got really sick right after eating the food I bought here. We just want to get to the bottom of this."

The clerk's tense shoulders visibly relaxed. "Of course. Here." He handed Luna a can of the familiar brand that she had purchased.

Together Grey and Luna scrutinized the cans. It took a few moments before Luna found noticeable differences – the blue label was a slightly darker shade than the one from the clerk, there was no barcode, and the text was a slightly different font.

"Are all the other cans the same?"

Three more cans were brought from behind the counter, and none of them matched the can that Luna had.

"I don't understand," the clerk told them. "All of our goods are scanned and accounted for before we stock the shelves. There's no way that it could have gotten in there without notice." He looked to Luna. "Wherever you got that can from, it wasn't from us."

"Hmph." Grey still seemed angry, but was already visibly relaxing at the explanation. "Well, thanks." He turned away from the counter to Luna. "Will your Pokemon be okay?"

"The nurse said that they'd be okay, but they need an Antidote treatment that'll last several hours," Luna explained. "We'll have to wait."

"Fine. We'll go on a walk." As Grey whirled around and stalked away, Luna hurriedly thanked the clerk for his help and apologized for the trouble.

Once outside, Luna had to break into a jog to catch up to Grey, who was already a few blocks away. "Grey!"

He turned around and waited for her to catch up. "Sorry," he muttered when Luna finally came near. "I guess it just pisses me off."

"You seem even more upset about it than I am," Luna pointed out with a small half-smile. "My Pokemon will be okay. It's just some…freak thing that happened." _I wish._

"It's not a freak thing," Grey snapped. "Someone deliberately prepared a can of poisoned Pokemon food to hurt someone's Pokemon. And for some reason, they gave it to you. When could they have done it though? You and I were together the whole time."

Luna thought for a moment. "When I went to the bathroom," she realized. "I left my bag outside for a minute when I went in. So that means—"

"It was someone in the Pokemon Center," Grey finished.

Luna's eyes widened. "It could have been anyone in there. What if they're still there?"

"Well, let's find out! Come on!"

"But…we're so far away now." They were practically on the other side of town, and far away from the crowds. "Do you think they'd still hang around?"

"Maybe not," Grey admitted, "but it's worth a look."

Luna nodded uncertainly. "Okay, then…let's go."

But as they turned to head back, Luna felt a strange prickle on the back of her neck. _Something isn't right._ She turned to Grey. "Grey?"

"I feel it too," he said quietly. "Something is just…weird." He glanced around. "It's too quiet, even for this part of town; no one's around. But I feel like we're being watched."

Still walking, Grey casually released Helios from his Pokeball. At the same time, about a dozen black-clad figures rushed towards them from previously concealed areas – walls, crates, trashcans – and surrounded the trainers.

Luna's eyes widened in recognition. _Team Tenebris! Some of these people are even the same ones from the carnival attack a few nights ago. What are they going to do to us?_ "Grey," she began, "these people –"

"Team Tenebris," Grey finished. "I know. Watch out; I think we might have to battle."

_To be continued…_


	18. Chapter 18

_**Finding You – A Pokemon Black and White Fanfiction – Chapter 18**_

_Journal of Dominic Mond, Seventeenth Entry_

_I did it. It's over._

_I arrived in Driftveil hours after leaving Nimbasa only to discover that the plot of Team Tenebris had already been put into motion. They had surrounded the Driftveil marketplace and cut it off completely from outside contact, and were threatening to destroy it as a 'demonstration'. For what, I didn't know, but as much as I wanted to do something, I had to wait and see._

_A member of Team Tenebris stood outside, addressing the crowd of surrounding policemen and concerned citizens, and finally revealed their motives. For whatever reason, they seem to be purposely trying to make Pokemon the culprits of their crimes. As the man put it, "See the destructive powers of Pokemon? Their abilities are dangerous. Why are we letting young children out into the world to train them? Why are we keeping them as pets? If they are truly intelligent creatures, then why are they allowing us to abuse their powers? They need to be controlled!"_

_Their point makes little sense. Pokemon are loyal creatures who obey their masters' orders without question; it's a matter of how cruel their Trainers are, not the creatures themselves. But to my surprise, the people around me seemed to be listening. "Why are the Pokemon just destroying everything if they're told to?" they wondered._

_It's hard to believe what people will swallow these days._

_I confronted the man and challenged him to a battle. He accepted, and I won. Then I pushed past him to battle the other members throughout the marketplace, subduing them and their Pokemon._

_Finally I reached the head of their organization. He had long, silvery hair and very pale green eyes. He looked rather bizarre, and something about him made chills run up and down my spine. I demanded to know what he was aiming to accomplish with his actions, and I demanded that he release the hostage citizens immediately. And then he said something I will never forget._

_"Professor Mond? I've heard of you. The scientist who specializes in the psychology of Pokemon and people alike. You could never understand. You honestly seem to believe that Pokemon are on the same conscious level as humans. You're wrong. They are destructive monsters that only seek to kill. If they were really on the same conscious level as humans, would they so willingly leap at each other's throats in battle? Look at me. I'm a terrible person A terrorist with the blood of numerous lives on my hands. And I was only able to achieve it with Pokemon."_

_I've no doubt that he is a complete madman. Why else would someone think something like that?_

_I challenged him to a battle, and we agreed that if I won, he'd turn himself in, and if he won, I would have to retreat. I expected it to be a battle like the ones with his grunts, but no, he was a skilled battler, and his strategies were clever and thought out. I've never battled anyone like this before, Luna, not even the Kanto Gym Leaders back when I was a Trainer. Somehow, though, I managed to win, but in the process the area around us caught fire from the blazing attacks of our Pokemon._

_The citizens were quickly evacuated and the terrorists arrested, but for a few moments the man and I looked at each other amongst the flames, eye to eye. I don't know what he saw in me, but all I could see in him was an insane madman who just wanted to watch the world burn…_

_Luna…maybe I'm not so worthless after all. Despite my having to leave you and Ellen, I feel that maybe it was for the best if it means I was able to come to Unova and do my part to take down this organization._

_Maybe my work here will make up for my leaving you behind._

_Somehow, I feel that everything will turn out for the best. And now, I have it all recorded in this journal for you to read. It'll wait until you get older, though. Maybe I'll give it to you when you turn ten. That isn't so far off. I know I'm not here to see you, but you must be growing up so fast…_

_I think I'll come back to see you. I know I said that I'd be here in Unova, but I can't wait that long. I don't want to be completely out of your life, even if Ellen feels differently. She and I will just have to work it out somehow, because I still want to be involved. No deadbeat dad here._

_That's it. I'll purchase a ferry ticket tomorrow. I can't wait to see you again. I love you, Luna. I'll see you soon!_


	19. Chapter 19 - Absorb

_**Finding You – Chapter 19**_

**Absorb**

_Having agreed to train Pokemon with Grey, Luna found that Grey's company can be enjoyable – when he's not being irritating. After several days of consistent training, Luna and Grey went to the Pokemon Center to purchase more Pokemon food for her team, only to discover that it had been poisoned by an unknown saboteur. Only Odette refrained from eating the food. After taking her Pokemon in for treatment, Grey and Luna head out for a walk, only to suddenly be surrounded by Team Tenebris grunts…_

Luna felt Grey tense up beside her as the Tenebris members moved in closer. Helios, loyally standing his ground beside his master, growled menacingly.

But it was Luna who spoke first. "What do you want from us?"

None of them answered right away. But then a thought came to her. "This is about what happened in Nimbasa, isn't it? I saw what happened. I saw what you were doing at the carnival. Are…are you trying to make me keep quiet? It's too late." Luna swallowed. "I know who you are, and I told the police already."

Grey looked at her, but if he had any questions he kept them to himself. One member who, behind the mask, seemed to be in his mid-twenties, finally spoke.

"Don't interfere with the affairs of Team Tenebris any longer," he said. "Further interference will have consequences. We aren't to be messed with, kid. We have a mission, and we are going to follow through with it no matter what."

"And what kind of mission is that?" Grey asked hotly. "Setting places on fire, causing earthquakes, hurting people…the only thing that'll get is hate."

"You wouldn't understand." With these words, the team member gave an ever so slight nod of his head, and instantly Pokemon were materializing at the sides of the Tenebris members.

Luna glanced up at Grey to see how he was reacting. Though tense, he didn't seem too concerned about the number of foes he and Helios would have to face.

Luna suddenly remembered that she still had one Pokemon and released Odette from her Pokeball. The Gothita seemed especially tiny next to Helios, and among the other Pokemon being let out.

"Grey," Luna murmured quietly, "even with Helios, I don't know if we can—"

"This'll be easy." Grey turned to Luna and smiled devilishly. "You haven't seen what Helios can really do."

All at once, the Tenebris Pokemon leaped towards the trainers, but upon a quick command from Luna Odette unleashed a powerful Protect shield that sent the other Pokemon skidding away from the power of their own blows. With that, Helios and Odette both took on enemies from both sides.

"Odette, Psyshock!"

"Helios, Aura Sphere!"

The two attacks were launched in a blast of colorful light, instantly KO'ing a handful of Pokemon; however, they were quickly replaced by more. Helios ran and rapidly began to shoot powerful spins and kicks at the Pokemon who launched themselves at him, repelling them as soon as they came near, while Odette stayed near the Trainers to protect them from the oncoming attacks, occasionally shooting out psychic blasts.

Amid the yells and cries of the Pokemon and people, Luna felt a strange calm. _Maybe this is how Touya felt the other night when he was battling Tenebris in Nimbasa. Somehow, giving Odette commands and fighting like this feels surreal instead of scary. It's strange, but…I like this. Maybe this is what real battling feels like._

As Odette launched multiple Psyshock attacks, however, Luna noticed a strange phenomenon; Odette's body was starting to glow brightly. Luna was quick to realize that she was evolving.

"Grey, watch our backs for a second! Odette's evolving!"

With ease Grey commanded his Lucario to shield the trainers from the attacks as Odette morphed into a larger form; her torso and limbs elongated, and two pigtail-like froms appeared on the sides of her head. When she finished, she was an entirely new Pokemon—Gothorita—though her undeniably sullen expression remained.

"Thanks, Grey," Luna said, "we've got it now. Odette, let's see what you can do!"

But even with her newly strengthened form, Odette and Helios were not enough to fight the continuous barrage. With every Pokemon that was defeated, another was sent out, and it seemed as if the cycle would never end.

"Luna!" Grey exclaimed over the turmoil. "It's…not looking good right now! Helios is getting tired!"

"So is Odette!" Luna replied. "I…I don't know what to do!"

Odette, however, was watching her Trainer carefully, and as if in response to their distress she suddenly began to glow. Her whole body and eyes illuminated the darkening area as she slowly began to float above the fighting.

Then, without warning, Odette let out a sharp cry and there was a bright flash of light.

With that, Luna and Grey were gone.

* * *

When Luna opened her eyes, all was dark.

Cautiously she sat up and felt the floor around her. Stone. Definitely not the pavement in Castelia.

She looked around. "Grey?" she asked. "Are you in here?"

"Yeah." Grey grunted and sat up; his voice sounded like it was several feet away.

Luna stood up and carefully began to tread her way across the room. "Do you know what happened?"

"Not really. One minute Odie was doing that weird glowing thing, and the next we're in here. Maybe she—OW!"

Luna found herself stumbling over a form on the floor, and fell to the ground. She scrambled away just as Helios lit up a blue aura sphere with his paws, illuminating Grey's sitting body right next to her, as well as Odette lurking close nearby.

Grey stood up and stretched. "You tend to trip over people a lot, don't you?"

"Just you," Luna retorted. "Maybe if you weren't in people's way all the time –"

"Just me, huh?" Grey put on a mischievous expression. "Well, gee, Luna, maybe you're…_falling_ for me?"

Luna tried not to laugh, but a spurt of air escaped her lips. "Sorry, Grey, that was pretty bad."

"It was," Grey admitted, though he didn't seem bothered by his bad joke. "Anyway, as I was saying before I was oh-so-rudely interrupted, I think Odie teleported us."

"Teleported?" Luna repeated incredulously. "I didn't know she knew that move…"

"Well, neither did I, but that seems like the most obvious explanation." Grey looked around. "Where are we, anyway?"

"That's what I'd like to know…"

Helios brightened the aura sphere and moved it around. The walls of the room were decorated with intricate hieroglyphs and designs. Luna placed her hand on one, feeling the cold, dark stone, and when she brought it away her palm was covered in dust.

Grey's expression changed from one of curiosity to one of astonishment. "Whoa!" he exclaimed. "This is the Relic Castle! I've heard of this!" He scrutinized the walls with startling interest. "These are the ruins of an old city that one of the twin heroes of Unova built. It's been a tourist site for years, but…I bet no one else has ever been this deep."

"It is cool," Luna agreed, "but I want to make sure we can get out first before we think about exploring it." She turned to Odette. "Can you teleport us out again?"

Odette shook her head.

"She's probably too tired," Grey guessed. "I think we can get out of here on our own anyhow. Helios has Aura Sphere, so he can light the way."

After finding a doorway out of the room, Luna and Grey, along with their Pokemon, began walking down a dark corridor, lit only by Helios's blue Aura Sphere.

"Team Tenebris," Grey muttered, finally breaking the silence. "I haven't been following the papers, though I guess I should have. Why would they randomly show up like that?"

Luna explained what had happened at the carnival, from the moment the ferris wheel began shaking to the end when she and Touya were blown away from the Tyranitar's Roar. She didn't mention Touya by name, however. _It would be too hard to explain it to him…_

When she finished, Grey seemed more irritated than before. "That was stupid," he snapped. "Why would you go and get yourself involved like that? They're criminals. You leave criminals to the police."

"My friend was the one who got most involved," Luna retorted. "I just put out the fires, then went to see what was going on later. I didn't think—"

"Exactly! You didn't think!" Grey exclaimed. "And now a group of them cornered us probably trying to kill us or at least hurt us with their Pokemon! What kind of idiot are you?"

"I-I'm not an idiot! Why are you being so mean all of a sudden?"

Silence.

By now, the two of them had stopped walking. Luna sighed and slid to the floor against the side of the corridor walls, lit only by the bright blue light of Helios's Aura Sphere.

"Grey," she began hesitantly, "you seem to already know some stuff about Team Tenebris."

Grey let out a long sigh. "Yeah…I do. More than I'd like to admit."

_I knew it._ "What do you mean by that?"

Grey seemed to become irritated again at the question. "Forget I said anything." He stood. "Let's go."

"No, wait." Luna made no move to stand up. "I want to talk about this." Slowly Grey sat down again, his muscles stiff with tension. "What happened in Nimbasa was the first time I ever saw anyone from Team Tenebris directly. I don't know very much about them."

Grey let out a long breath through his lips. "Team Tenebris has been around a lot longer than the papers would have you think. You aren't from Unova, so you wouldn't know, but I remember how a few years ago they started rampaging a lot like this."

Luna's eyebrows shot up. "You mean this has happened before?"

"Yeah, but the way they did things was different. Nowadays it's more like wildfires and earthquakes—"

At the mention of the word 'wildfires' Luna curled her knees to her chest. _Laddie._

"—but they used to be more like a big, organized gang. They still used Pokemon, but for different things, not so much natural disasters." Though she had gotten an answer, Luna somehow felt more curious than before. "For someone who says they haven't followed the papers lately, you know a lot."

It was an invitation to confidence, though Grey didn't seem to be taking it. There were several moments of silence as Grey fidgeted slightly beside her. Luna waited patiently.

Though it was only a few seconds, it felt like minutes before Grey finally said, "You wanna know how I know so much?"

Luna nodded.

"It's because my dad used to be a member."

Not in a million years would Luna have expected him to say something like that. "You're kidding."

"It's true. He got arrested and stuff before I started my Pokemon journey, but I still remember him. I never saw him actually do anything, though; it was the cops who filled in the blanks for me after he got taken away."

"What…about your mom?"

"She ran out on us a long time ago. I don't know if she was a part of Tenebris or not." Until that point, Grey had been making eye contact, but he dropped it as he spoke those words. Luna didn't pursue the subject.

"Oh." _C'mon, Luna, say something._ "Grey, I'm so sor—"

He shrugged. "Doesn't matter. It was a long time ago. Every family's got their problems; mine just happened to BE the problem. Some people have it worse off than I do."

"Maybe, but…"

Luna trailed off, unsure of how to finish her sentence. There was another long silence.

_I wish Touya was here,_ Luna thought. _He'd know what to say next._

"Um," Luna began at last, hoping to change the subject, "so, if Team Tenebris was around before, what happened to them? Why are they just coming back now?"

"Well, there was this guy who disbanded them," Grey said, visibly more relaxed. He stood and began to continue walking down the corridor, Luna and Helios following closely. "I wasn't there, but I heard that he went to Driftveil when Tenebris was threatening to attack this marketplace and he battled them all. His Pokemon were so strong that they totally swept 'em. Then he battled their leader, and he won against him too. And when he won, the police were able to get in and stop them."

Luna gazed thoughtfully into the darkness ahead in admiration. "Wow. That's amazing."

"Yeah. Actually, I knew him before he went on to do all that."

"What?" Luna looked at Grey incredulously. "Yeah, right!"

"No, I'm serious! See, when I was like, I dunno, ten? I had this group of street battlers in Castelia. We'd meet and battle, and it was really the only thing I had to do to stay away from my dad. But then this guy came along and made us stop because we were tearing up the streets. I hated him for that.

"But then, we actually started talking, and he treated me to Casteliacone, so he seemed okay. Eventually he figured out that I didn't have such a great situation at home, and I tried to keep him away, but he took action and made sure my dad got arrested and that the police took me into custody. At that point, though, I was already ten, so I was allowed to travel, and I decided to become a Trainer. I remember thanking him really fast, but then I ran away. I don't feel like I did enough."

Luna thought for a moment. "He seems like kind of a hero, huh?" she mused. "It would be nice if he came back."

"It would be _awesome_ if he came back," Grey agreed, "and took down Tenebris again. But he was a professor, and he said he had work to do."

"What was his name?"

"Uh, to be honest, I kinda forgot." Grey stopped walking for a moment to consider, his furrowed features lit ablaze by the bright Aura light in the blackness. "It's on the tip of my tongue, though. Let's see…Don…Dominic…"

Luna's heart skipped a beat. "Dominic?"

"Yeah, that was his first name…his last name started with an M…"

_Oh my gosh. This can't be right. Could it really be…?_ "Was his last name Mond?"

"Yeah, that's it!" Grey looked at Luna and nodded. "Have you heard of him?"

"Oh…oh my gosh." Luna's hands flew to her mouth. "That's my dad! Dominic Mond is my dad!"

Grey gave her a look of absolute incredulity. "What?"

"Really! My full name is Luna Mond. Dad…or, well, Dominic….he's a Pokemon professor, he specializes in Pokemon psychology. He used to be a Trainer and got all the gym badges in Kanto, and he quit before challenging the Elite Four, but he kept his team." Luna was speaking so quickly that she was stumbling over words, but she didn't care. "Five years ago he told me that when I became a Pokemon trainer, I should meet him in Unova because that's where he was finishing his research!"

Grey's eyes widened in recognition. "So that's why I recognized you!" he exclaimed. "You look a lot like your dad! You both have white hair and blue eyes…and he showed me a picture of you once. When I was little. Now that you mention it, he did say his daughter was named Luna…" Grey tousled his fingers through his hair. "Holy crap."

Luna clasped her hands together. "Grey, do you think he's still here somewhere? In Unova? I've been taking the Gym challenge, and my name's been getting into the newspapers for it…I was hoping that he might see the paper sometime, wherever he is, and know that I'm here, and then he'd be able to find me."

Grey shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Luna, I don't know…"

"Hey, did he ever say where he went after he beat Tenebris? Oh, wow, I bet he got into the papers, huh? As soon as we get out of here, let's go to the Castelia newspaper place, we can look in their archives!"

"Luna, I—"

"Oh wow, I mean, this proves it! He really did come to Unova! He kept his promise! Now we just have to—"

"_Will you shut your friggin' mouth?!_

Luna's chatter instantly died out.

"Listen," Grey said, grasping Luna firmly by the shoulders. "Dominic probably isn't still here."

Luna shook her head. "No, I know he is! I-I mean, he's got to be…"

"Snap out of it and think for a minute!" Grey snapped sharply. "Dominic came to Unova and beat Tenebris, right? And now they're coming back again. If he was so willing to step up last time, why hasn't he done anything right now? Why hasn't he come out of the shadows again? Dominic isn't _my_ dad—I sure as hell wish he was, but he isn't—so I didn't know him for nearly as long as you have, but if there's one thing I learned about him it's that, even though he was sorta quiet, he wasn't the kind of person to just sit there and let the bad stuff happen. He took action before the bad stuff became worse stuff.

"There's two things that most likely happened to him. Either he left the region and moved on with his life…or something happened to him. Something bad."

Luna inhaled sharply.

Grey remained firm and calm, and looked Luna straight into the eyes. "Think. Did he ever send you letters? Did your mom ever tell you anything?"

"N-no…" Luna said shakily, "he didn't send anything…and mom said he never called. B-but it was a bad divorce, it just came out of nowhere…I always thought maybe mom just intercepted the letters, or he just wanted to avoid her—"

"I doubt that a bitter divorce would stop a man from sending letters to his little girl."

"Well…maybe Mom took them…"

"There's always that chance," Grey agreed, "because I don't know what your mom is like. Do _you_ she'd do that?"

Luna thought. The relationship between her and her mother had gone down hill over the years, but her mother had insisted that she would never do such a thing, and Luna knew that Ellen Mond was an honest woman.

Her voice was a quiet whisper as she said, "No."

Grey sighed and continued walking again, surprisingly out of things to say. Nothing needed to be said anyhow. The idea was clear.

But then a thought came to Luna. "Grey," she said as they turned a corner, "When Team Tenebris attacked us today, it just seemed weird and out of the blue, right? I mean, yeah, I was there in Nimbasa, but…I _really_ didn't do much to stop them at the carnival. I just fixed up a bit of the damage. What if they came after us for other reasons? I mean…now…we _both_ have ties to Team Tenebris somehow…"

"There's the exit," Grey interrupted abruptly, pointing ahead to an area where the dim light seemed to grow brighter. For a moment, Luna thought that he wasn't going to respond to her, but he continued talking.

"I don't know what the deal is, but the fact is is that now Tenebris has taken direct action, and that means we could be in trouble. But even more than that…I think there's more to the story than either of us know. Something else must have happened during the time that Dominic took down Tenebris before, something else that didn't get in the papers or the news."

_Grey's right,_ Luna thought silently. _And if there is something more to it, then Team Tenebris has to be at the root of it._

_The Gym challenge will have to wait for now; this is more important. I won't stop digging until I find out the truth. And if that means taking down Team Tenebris again…then I'll do it, just like Dad did._

To be continued…


	20. Chapter 20 - Return

_**Finding You – Chapter 20**_

**Return**

_Together, Luna and Grey fought off the Team Tenebris goons who attacked them, only to find that they were losing. However, thanks to Odette's evolution and the use of her Teleport attack, Grey and Luna were whisked away to deep within the Relic Castle, where they learned about each other's pasts – and Grey's surprising connection to Dominic. Grey revealed that Team Tenebris had been taken down years ago by Luna's father, only to be returning now, with Dominic nowhere to be found. As they neared the exit of the old Castle, Luna vowed to get to the bottm of the mystery surrounding the link between Dominic and Team Tenebris…_

* * *

_My name is Luna Mond, and I'm fourteen years old. It's been awhile since my last journal entry, but it's for a good reason. So much has been happening in my life lately that I'm not even sure what to talk about first – should it be my friends? My Pokemon? The terrorists that I'm becoming more and more involved in, whether I want to be or not? I guess I'll just tell it straight, starting with Pinwheel Forest…_

Grey fidgeted uncomfortably in the seat next to Luna as she wrote. Luna sensed his discomfort. "It'll just be a minute, Grey. I just feel like this is important to write down."

Grey sighed. "All right, all right. But hurry up."

The two of them sat on a bench in Castelia as Luna scribbled furiously in her journal. In light of the recent events, she felt that it was important to keep recording what was happening; she had almost forgotten all her journal, and she felt now was a good time to write down what was happening.

Grey leaned back so that his head hung over the back edge of the seat. "Are you almost done?"

"Just…about….yes!" Luna closed the notebook. "Finished. Let's go get my Pokemon from the Center. The nurse is probably wondering where I am."

"About time!" Grey leaped to his feet. "I can't believe we spent the whole night in the temple. Though I think we got knocked out when Odie teleported us, and we didn't wake up until a few hours later."

"That would make sense," Luna agreed.

As the pair strode casually down the street, no more words were spoken between them. Several times, however, Grey seemed to open his mouth as if to speak, only to close it again. Luna waited patiently.

He finally talked, mumbling as if embarrassed. "Hey, Luna. Last night, when I said something bad might have happened to your dad…I wasn't trying to scare you. So….sorry."

Luna shook her head. "No…I…well, you could be right, you know. You're a little brash sometimes, but you're honest, and I actually really appreciate that."

"Yeah, well…you have to think it through some too. I mean, really think about it. If Dominic had, you know, died…you guys would have been contacted about it, and I _really_ don't think your mom would have lied about that or kept it from you. So…I said you weren't thinking, but I wasn't really thinking either. Sorry."

Luna smiled. "It's okay."

Grey seemed satisfied with the answer. Luna could feel that apologies didn't come easy to him, which made his attempt all the more meaningful.

Grey still seemed troubled, though. He kept casting glances to the right and left, and while his hands were folded behind his head, his fingers drummed incessantly on the nape of his neck.

Luna waited a moment before asking, "What's wrong?"

"It's too quiet," Grey muttered. "Like before. But this is a completely different part of town; usually it's already crowded at this time of day. What's going—"

"Wait! I thought I heard something." Luna listened carefully. "A police siren. It's coming from over there."

Grey looked to where she was pointing. "That's near the Pokemon Center, isn't it? Come on!"

The two of them broke into a run and sprinted toward the sound of the sirens. When she glanced to the sides, Luna could see that there were people inside the buildings peering out. _Everyone's staying inside for some reason. I wonder if it's—_

In front of her, Grey jolted to a stop. "Team Tenebris!"

The black-clad terrorists were swarmed all around the Pokemon Center, most of them standing boredly as the Castelia City police force battled their Pokemon. Luna inhaled sharply. They were different members from yesterday, and their Pokemon appeared to be much stronger.

Grey noticed it too. "They were just messing with us yesterday," he muttered darkly. "They underestimated us. But it was still a close battle, which means that they're a lot stronger than we think."

"Why are they around the Pokemon Center?"

Grey pulled Luna back behind a building across the street to keep out of sight. From around the corner, they still had a clear view of the Tenebris grunts milling about. "Most likely, they knew that we were gonna come back for your Pokemon. They're probably waiting for us. I guess the police issued a call for everyone to stay inside while Team Tenebris staked out the place."

As Grey muttered curses to himself, a thought occurred to Luna. "Do you think we should interfere?"

"As much as I love to pick a fight," Grey said, "even I can see that we'd be outmatched. I mean, they're taking out those policemen without even trying."

"Well, I have a friend who I think can help."

"Is he a Trainer?"

"No…_she's_ a Pokemon Ranger."

Luna dialed Zoe's number on her Xtransceiver. Surprisingly, the call connected immediately, and began to ring. In her peripheral vision, Luna saw a Tenebris grunt simultaneously reaching for her pocket.

The grunt had shocking pink hair underneath her black baseball cap.

Luna's eyes widened and scrambled to cancel the call. Grey noticed her change in expression. "What's wrong?"

"That girl," Luna said shakily, gesturing to the pink-haired grunt. "I…I think she might be the friend I'm trying to call."

"What?"

"I mean it. Look." The girl turned around so that her profile was clearly visible to the two Trainers. Luna showed Grey Zoe's picture in her contacts list. "That…that's her. I can't believe it."

The girl finally pulled out her phone – a pink Xtransceiver just like Zoe's—and looked at it, perplexed, before putting it away again. Luna felt tears welling up in her eyes.

_That's definitely her. I can't believe it. How could she join Team Tenebris…I mean…_

Grey seemed thoughtful as he gazed at the pink-haired girl. "Now, hang on. Don't freak out, okay? Try calling her again."

Luna gaped at him. "What? But…"

"Try it," Grey persisted. "Then we'll know for sure. Even if that bit—"

"D-don't call her anything bad!"

"Well, whatever. Even if she's a sucky friend, maybe you could at least get a little bit of information from her."

Though Grey's words were harsh, there was no denying cold logic. Luna told herself to stay calm. _You don't know anything for sure. Maybe there's a good reason.. Even if it looks bad…_

Memories flashed through Luna's mind – Zoe encouraging her for the battle against Lenora, cheering her on during training, the sight of the Ranger coming to her aid in Pinwheel Forest, and comforting her during Laddie's death. _I_ will not _believe that Zoe is on their side. I just can't._

Taking a deep breath, Luna dialed again. Once more, the pink-haired Tenebris girl reached for her phone. This time, though, Luna waited for her to answer.

Sure enough, it was Zoe's face that appeared on the Xtransceiver screen. "Oh, hey Luna."

"Hey…" Luna swallowed and did her best to stay casual. "What's up?"

"Sorry, but now's really not a good time. Can I call you back later?"

Luna took a deep breath. "Zoe, I'm right here. Behind the building. I can see you from where I'm standing. Why are you with Team Tenebris?"

It was perhaps one of the first times Luna had ever seen Zoe look startled. She quickly recovered, though, and soon began speaking in a much darker tone than before. Across the street, the Tenebris girl – Zoe – moved away from the rest of her group.

"Listen. I know this looks bad, but since I finally caught up to the Team I decided to infiltrate their group as a spy. It's part of my Mission here as a Ranger."

Glancing at Grey, Luna could see he looked doubtful, but she decided to believe her. "Oh…I see…do you know why they're after me?"

"I wish I did. All I know is that after you got away—"

"You know about that?"

"The whole _team_ knows about how you fought off the Tenebris guys, then suddenly disappeared. As soon as I heard your name, I tried to call you, but I couldn't get a signal from your Xtransceiver."

_It's because we were so far underground._

"Anyway, I don't even know what they want. Before, they were just supposed to defeat you – scare you a little – but now we're supposed to bring you in. Don't expose yourselves."

"We won't—"

"Speaking of 'yourselves', what're you doing traveling with a guy anyway? He better be treating you right!"

"Zoe, it's not like that!"

"Anyway, all jokes aside, stay hidden and give me a couple of minutes. I think I have an idea to get your Pokemon back."

"What's she doing?"

Grey glanced over his shoulder impatiently. "Are you sure she's on our side? How we do she's not calling for reinforcements?"

"Zoe's not like that!" Luna insisted. "She's a Pokemon Ranger, and she's my friend. I trust her."

"You say that, but you were doubting her just a few minutes ago, weren't you?"

Luna blushed red in indignation, even though she knew he was right. _Still…I want to believe Zoe's story. I…I don't think she'd do something like that._

Suddenly, the group of Tenebris grunts dashed off, leaving the area nearly deserted. Luna held her breath as they raced past the building where she and Grey were hiding behind, but no one spotted them.

Without warning, Luna's Xtransceiver rang. She scrambled to answer it. "Hello?"

"Luna, it's Zoe. I told them that I got a phonecall from one of the other lookout groups saying that they had spotted you; we're heading towards the other side of town. If you're going to get your Pokemon, you need to be quick; once they realize you aren't there, we'll be heading straight back."

"Got it. Zoe, thank you so much."

"Save it. We'll talk later."

Grey did one more quick glance around before cautiously creeping out. "It really is safe. C'mon, let's hurry."

Together they scurried across the street and into the abandoned Pokemon Center. A lone nurse stood behind the counter.

Luna hurred to the counter. "Excuse me, I'd like to get my Pokemon back. They're registered under the name 'Luna Mond'…"

"Y…yes." The nurse brushed off her skirt and peered anxiously behind the pair, obviously disheveled. "Are those people gone?"

"Only temporarily," Grey cut in. "We're in a bit of a hurry."

"Of course." The nurse walked to a back room, her heels clacking on the Center's tile floors, before returning with a tray of Pokeballs. "Here they are. They've fully recovered thanks to the Antidote treatment."

"Thank you." As Luna hooked the Pokeballs to her storage bracelets, Grey spoke to the nurse.

"I'd get out of here if I were you," Grey advised. "While they're gone. Hopefully the police will be able to take care of them soon. In the meantime, don't get involved."

Without further ado, the pair left the Pokemon Center, dashing across the street to hide behind the building once more.

Luna sighed in relief and gazed at her now-safely-secured Pokeballs. _My friends. I'm so glad they're okay._

Grey was watching her carefully. "I'm glad we got 'em back. But now what do we do?"

"Maybe we should wait for Zoe to call," Luna suggested. "Or we should call her."

"Let's wait. In the meantime, let's get as far away from here as possible."

It was just in time, too, as already Luna could hear the commotion of the Tenebris grunts returning. Swiftly the two Trainers scurried away from their former hiding place and quietly disappeared into the maze of buildings within the city.

"Let's head back to Route 4," Grey murmured. "We can hide out there until what's-her-name tells us what to do next."

"Okay…"

As they ran to the outskirts of the city, the Xtransceiver rang. Hastily Luna pressed the button to answer it as they ran, not bothering to stop as she took the call.

"It's me," Zoe said. "Did you make it out okay?"

"Yes," Luna huffed. They took a turn through an alleyway and emerged near the outskirts of the city. "We're okay."

As the pavement faded away into sand, Luna and Grey ran behind another building to finish the call. At least the sandy route wasn't storming, but the heat that seeped through the sand was already making them sweat.

"Good. Listen, I can't keep making all these phone calls, because the others are starting to get suspicious. We need to meet up somewhere, but I can't get away right now."

"Where are you?" Luna asked. "Maybe…maybe we could come there?"

"What? No way! You'll be seen for sure."

"But you can't leave, right?" Grey cut in, leaning over to speak into the Xtransceiver. "We have to coordinate somehow. Maybe we _could_ go to you. Infiltrate their ranks, even. Then we could at least get some more information."

"Infiltrate?" Zoe asked incredulously. "Are you crazy? Look, it's one thing if I do it; I'm a Ranger and I'm trained. But you guys…"

Grey cut her off. "We have Pokemon," he said. "And if you can get them, then we'll have disguises. Most of those guys hid their faces, right? We can too."

Luna cut in. "The last place they'll think to look is in their own ranks, right?"

Zoe seemed surprise, and even Grey raised an eyebrow. "Luna, I didn't expect you to…I mean, don't you want to stay out of this?"

"Well…I did. But…I found out that my dad's disappearance might be linked to them and—"

"I understand," Zoe said quickly. "Well, I guess we'll work this out when we meet up. I'm headed to Chargestone Cave right now; meet me there as soon as possible. I'm still a low-level grunt, so I haven't been able to learn much about what they're planning, but we're supposed to be seeking clues about some Legendary Pokemon…the details are still not clear, though. Anyway, how are you going to meet me? Does what's-his-face have any flying Pokemon?"

"No, _I_ do not," Grey commented sourly.

Luna had an idea. "Wait. I know someone who does."

Grey sighed. "Is this friend infiltrating Tenebris too?"

"Probably not…and…I don't even know if he'll be able to make it." Luna fidgeted. "He's really busy and can only get away sometimes. But it's worth a shot. Zoe, I'll call you back when we figure out what the situation is."

"Alright. Bye."

As soon as Zoe hung up, Luna began dialing again. Grey leaned in to glance at the screen curiously. "Who is this mystery person?"

_Touya._ "You won't believe me until you get to talk to him yourself." Impatiently Luna waited as the phone rang repeatedly. _Come on, come on…hm. No answer._

"Guess he's not there," Grey sighed. "C'mon, then. We need to find a different way."

"No, wait…" Luna dialed again. "Just one more time."

"Alright, but if he doesn't answer this time, then that's it. We can't keep waiting here."

Three rings. _Come on, Touya._ Four. _Please!_

Finally, to Luna's relief, the phone made a clicking sound and a voice sounded on the other end. "Hello?"

"Touya!" Luna couldn't mask the happiness in her voice. "I'm so glad you answered. Listen, um, I know you've already done a lot for me, and I understand if you're busy with your work, but I really need your help…can you take me and a friend to Chargestone Cave? It's sort of an emergency."

Touya was silent for a few moments. Gazing at the screen, Luna soon realized something was wrong. Touya seemed quiet, uncomfortable even; a sharp contrast to his usual chipper self.

"Um…Touya? You…you don't have to, I'm sorry if I asked too much…really, I know that being the Champion must be—"

"It's fine," Touya said abruptly, cutting her off. "Where are you?"

"Route 4, just outside of Castelia. I don't want you to get in trouble, though…is…is something wrong?"

"Not really," Touya said. "I…" He trailed off , gazing somewhere offscreen, before finally looking back to the Xtransceiver.

"I lost my title today," he said shortly. "I'm not the Champion anymore. I can come."

_To be continued…_


	21. Chapter 21 - Trick

_**Finding You – Chapter 21**_

**Trick**

_After escaping the temple, Luna and Grey headed back to Castelia to retrieve Luna's Pokemon from the Center, only to find that the area was heavily guarded by Tenebris goons. Unsure of what to do, Luna decided to dial Zoe and see if she could help – but then noticed that Zoe was among the members of Team Tenebris! It quickly became clear that Zoe was working undercover, however, and with a quickly formulated plan Zoe was able to steer the Tenebris team away from the Pokemon Center just long enough for Luna and Grey to get back the Pokemon. Now, Zoe thinks that Luna and Grey could do some undercover investigating of their own, but they have to meet Zoe at Chargestone Cave. When Luna called Touya for a ride, however, she discovered that things have drastically changed for the young Champion…_

"W-what? Touya, you can't be—"

The boy had hung up, however, and Luna was left staring blanky at a dark screen.

"What's wrong?" Grey asked. "What happened? Can he come?"

"Y…yeah, he's coming," Luna said shakily. She pressed a button on her Xtransceiver to hang it up and let her hand fall to her side. "But…"

Grey's eyebrow shot up. "But what? Seriously, what's the matter?"

"Well…my friend's name is Touya Black," Luna said finally. "He's—well, he _was_ the Champion of Unova—"

"Was?"

"—but today he lost his title."

Grey seemed skeptical. "You are actually acquainted with the Champion."

"Yes! I mean, I guess he's the _former_ Champion now, but still. I know him. We're friends."

Grey stretched. "Well, whatever. Big titles don't impress me. Assuming he's coming from the Pokemon League, it could take him a good couple of hours to get here, depending on how fast his Pokemon can fly. We'll just have to hang tight. Call whats-her-face to tell her what the deal is."

* * *

Two long hours later, Touya Black landed on Route 4 where Luna and Grey were waiting. It was close to noon now, and the harsh environment of the desert sands only made the sweltering heat worse. It was better than the alternative, however; running into more Tenebris grunts undisguised would be a nightmare.

Luna ran to greet him as Grey approached more slowly. Touya dismounted from his Braviary and turned to her. "Hey."

"H-hi…" Luna gulped. "Um, Touya, I can't tell you how sorry I am—"

Touya shook his head. "Save it. It's alright. I just…" He blew a long breath of air from between his lips and ran his fingers through his hair. "I guess I'm just sort of numb right now. But you're more important. Tell me what's going on."

_You're more important._ Luna almost felt herself smiling at the words before Grey cut in.

"There's a group of organized terrorists who may or may not be connected to the disappearance of Luna's father who are currently out to get us and we're trying to infiltrate their group," Grey said rapidly. "If that makes any sense."

Touya blinked. "What?"

"You remember how Team Tenebris attacked Nimbasa, right?" Luna asked. "Well, my dad, Dominic Mond, helped take them down when they first came to Unova several years ago. Now there's a chance that his disappearance might be connected to them, and I…well, I want to find out for sure. My friend Zoe, she's a Pokemon Ranger, and she snuck into their group to find out more about them. They're after us right now, but she said the best place to hide AND get more information would be right within their own group, and I agree. That way, we could also find out more about their plans. I mean, they have to be doing all of this for a reason, right?"

Touya frowned. "Team Tenebris…haven't the police been taking care of them?"

"You ought to know better than anyone," Grey said. "The police around here are useless. Or did you just take down Team Plasma a couple years ago for bragging rights?"

Touya scrutinized Grey carefully – the slouched posture, the scruffy hair, the attitude. "I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Touya Black. I met Luna when she was starting her journey." He stuck out his hand. "What's your name?"

"Grey. I've traveled around Unova for most of my life. Nice to meet you." He didn't take the hand.

Touya's arm dropped to his side. "Well then. Uh, I guess I should say this first…Luna, are you sure about this? I may not be the Champion anymore, but I still have connections. We can try and get some other people in to handle this. League people."

"Up until now, Tenebris's crimes have been dangerous, but they're more like a gang than anything," Luna said. "I don't think the League will interfere until they do something big, something even bigger than they've already been doing. And I don't think we should wait for that to happen."

"Alright." Touya nodded. "Sounds like a plan then. Call…did you say her name is Zoe?"

Luna nodded.

"Okay. Call Zoe and tell her we're on our way to Chargestone Cave."

* * *

Touya had brought three Bird Pokemon, and all three of them landed a short distance away from Chargestone Cave. The area was thickly surrounded by trees, so the clearing where they managed to land felt exposed and open.

Moments after the three Trainers dismounted their rides, Zoe emerged from the thick woods and hurried towards them.

"All right," Zoe said. "Team Tenebris is battling some police officers right now. Looks like the officers are losing, though, or at least they were when I left. We have to hurry if we're going to get in there, though, because that distraction won't last too long."

Zoe dug into her bag and threw out various dark-colored clothing. "There isn't really an official uniform; you just have to wear dark colors, especially black, so that you can go by unnoticed at night." She pulled out two hats, a baseball cap and and conductor-like cap. "Grey, Luna, you guys should wear these. The more of your hair that's covered, the better."

Luna looked around the clearing. "Should we just…change here?"

"Probably. If we get any closer then we'll risk being seen." Zoe glared at the boys. "Don't either of you dare take a look!"

"No way!" both boys blurted. Both turned abruptly away. Flustered, Luna grabbed her things and began to change.

* * *

"Everyone ready?"

Cautiously Luna turned around. Grey looked almost unrecognizeable. Almost all of his hair was covered by the dark baseball cap Zoe had given him, and in his new dark clothes – a black, baggy sweatshirt and dark jeans – even his sense of style was different.

Touya, however, hadn't changed at all.

"Touya?" she asked. "Why aren't you…"

"I have an idea," he said. "In order for you guys to get in, maybe I could create a distraction. Battle some of them. While I'm doing that, you guys could sneak in. I'll just keep battling my way through the grunts as far in as I can, and while they all rush out to defeat me you can sneak in and see what you can find out about what they're doing in the Cave."

"I like that idea," Zoe said. "It'll definitely be easier to get in with all the commotion. And if someone sees us, I can just say we're going to get help." She turned to Luna. "I think you're good. Maybe just tuck in your hair a little more here. I've never seen you in a hat before…honestly, you look pretty different."

Self-consciously Luna poked a few strands of white hair underneath the dark cap.

Touya swept the group with his eyes. "Is everyone ready?"

They nodded.

"Then let's go."

Touya led the way as the four left the clearing and headed towards Chargestone Cave. Luna's heart pounded.

_What in the world am I doing? Sneaking right into the cave like this? What if I get caught? I guess I was thinking too much about Dad…no. I wasn't thinking clearly at all._

_But it's too late to back out now._

_I just hope that whatever we find out in there will be worth it…_

Luna heard a smattering of voices a short distance away. She, Grey and Zoe quickly crouched in the brush as Touya stood in front of them.

"You ready?" he asked.

Luna nodded, her throat too dry to speak.

"Okay. I'm going out to distract them now. Wish me luck!"

With a quick rustle of foliage, he was gone, striding confidently toward the group of Tenebris grunts hovering near the cave.

Luna watched in awe as Touya released his Braviary, the grunts immediately on the defensive.

"Team Tenebris," Touya said with a yawn. "What a group." His hand reached to his bag strap and he took out another Pokeball.

"You burn down forests…"

He released his Emboar.

"…you destroy cities…"

Reuniclus materialized next to him.

"…and you don't care who or what gets hurt along the way." Simisage and Seismitoad were released from yet more Pokeballs. "What are you guys thinking?"

"You'd never understand," one of the grunts snapped. "This is for the good of mankind!" Slowly several members trickled out of the cave and surrounded the former Champion as he let out his final Pokemon, Beartic.

Touya held up his hands in a gesture of denial. "No, no, please. I'd love to hear your line of thinking. Enlighten me."

Grey gently elbowed Luna in the ribs. "Get ready."

Luna nodded, but her eyes never left Touya. "Is he going to be okay?"

Grey grinned. "He'll be fine. Focus on getting in."

"Allow me." The grunt leader nodded, and the Tenebris grunts surrounding Touya let out numerous Pokemon of varying shapes and sizes. "Attack!"

"Now!" Zoe hissed. The three disguised teens stood and scurried around the commotion and into the cave.

Luna glanced over her shoulder. Touya stood perfectly cool and collected as his Pokemon battled all around him. He didn't even need to give them commands. A warm blush crept into her cheeks – a feeling she was growing used to. Forcing her eyes away, she turned back to look ahead as the three intruders plunged into the Tenebris operations.

Wordlessly they ran until they reached a large rock, where they stopped to catch their breath. Luna took a moment to take in her surroundings. Chargestone Cave was truly beautiful. The iridescent glow of the electrified rocks pulsed in varying intensities from each stone, lighting up the cave a lot better than one might anticipate.

Upon looking back at her friends, Luna noticed Grey staring at her. The blush stared to creep into her cheeks again. "What?"

"Your eyes are really blue," he said. "Well, I mean, so's your hair…like, the light makes it look blue too, but your eyes…uh…hmph. Nevermind."

Zoe cut in, all business. "Okay, here's the deal. I'm not entirely sure what Tenebris is doing in the cave. They call it "Operation Thunder", but I haven't been able to learn what exactly this Operation Thunder is – everyone was briefed before I infiltrated them, so I've just had to play along without knowing what exactly it means. This cave is big – huge, in fact. It goes miles underground. They've decided to set up here for a few days until they achieve…whatever the objective of Operation Thunder is.

"The goal here is to figure out, ultimately, what it is Team Tenebris wants to achieve by their actions. You'd think that going around destroying places would be useless, but…apparently there's reasoning behind it. So figure out what they're ultimately trying to do. If you can find out what they're doing in the cave, do that too.

"And finally, see if it's possible to figure out where they're headed next. If we can prevent the next attack, maybe we can slow them down enough to put a stop to their actions altogether."

"So we're just going to split up?" Grey asked. "Is that really a good idea?"

Zoe bit her lip. "I think it's the best thing to do for now, but I _am_ concerned about what could happen if one of us was to be found out…so just keep your Xtransceivers on. Service isn't good inside the cave for contacting the outside, but between phones in the same vicinity it should be good." She gave a small smile. "You guys good to go?"

They both nodded.

"Okay. Go."

Zoe stepped out first. She left the shelter of the boulder and broke into a jog, moving quickly until she disappeared into a maze of glowing stones.

It was just Luna and Grey. Grey gave her a slight push. "You go next."

Perhaps it was due to the cave's enormity, but Luna felt exposed stepping out from behind the rock. She glanced in the direction Zoe had gone. _I can't go there…_ She glanced back at the entrance. _I wonder if Touya's okay…_

Out of nowhere Luna was suddenly knocked over to the ground. Panic seized her as she scrambled to see what was happening.

It was another girl who appeared to be roughly a few years older than Luna. She was rubbing her head, covered in wavy blonde hair, from the pain of the impact. When she looked up, Luna noticed her blue eyes and freckles.

"What are you doing?" the girl snapped. "Don't you know what's happening outside? The Champion is here, and he's trying to stop Operation Thunder!"

Luna thought fast. "I…I know," she said. "I was going back to get more help."

The girl relaxed. "Oh, good. No one else can spare to go back in and get more people. Go through the tunnels and find where the latest search team went. Tell them what's happening and bring them up here."

_But which tunnels? The whole cave is huge!_ "A-All right. I'll come back with the help as soon as I can."

_What should I do, what should I do…I guess I'll just walk in a random direction?_

Luna turned away from the girl and vaguely headed towards the right of the cave, where it appeared to narrow off into a tunnel.

The girl's voice sounded behind her. "Whoa, wait, what are you doing?"

Luna winced. "Going…to get help?"

The girl signed impatiently. "The search tunnels go straight in. You were heading back to camp." She studied Luna curiously. "Are you new?"

Luna nodded.

The girl's expression softened. "Well, it's alright. Just don't get lost. And go as fast as you can!"

Luna nodded and left again, this time jogging straight into the cave. As she went further in, less and less stones dotted the walls, while more and more seemed to be sprouting from the floor. Some even floated in the air, sustained by the electromagnetic waves that emanated from the rocks.

She paused for a moment and looked back across the cave to see if the blonde girl was gone. Sure enough, she had already headed outside. Luna changed directions again and this time headed toward the right side of the cave, where she had been heading before – the campsite. _Maybe if I go there, I can figure out what they're doing._

The tunnel wound deeper and deeper. Every step echoed loudly off the cave walls. Luna wondered if perhaps she was even heading in the right direction; the last thing she wanted to do was become lost.

After a few more turns, the narrowing tunnel suddenly grew wider again until its mouth opened into a huge cavernous space, similar to the one near the entrance. Now, so many of the blue gems dotted the top of the ceiling that they looked like stars in a night sky.

A cluster of sleeping bags and general camping commodities were grouped near the center of the cave.

_Good,_ Luna thought. _I found where they've set up camp. Maybe if I look around there a bit, I can figure out what they're doing._ With a quick glance around her to make sure she was alone, she hurried out of the tunnel and darted to the campsite to search.

Sleeping bags, flashlights, backpacks, tools. It all looked like ordinary gear. There were no mysterious trinkets, no messages with hidden meaning…nothing. Luna sighed. _I hope Grey and Zoe have been doing better than me._ Looking around once more to make sure no one was around, she grabbed the nearest backpack and sifted through it.

_Huh...it's just more…stuff. Team Tenebris has always seemed so terrible, it's easy to forget that the members in it are people too…this guy even uses the same toothpaste I do._ She kept digging. _Wait, what's this?_

She pulled a small bag out of the backpack and unzipped it. Inside, there were various tools – a magnifying glass, a duster, and smaller tools for picking and digging.

_These look like…excavation tools! Don't tell me they're trying to destroy some historical thing –_

"Hello, Miss Mond."

Luna jumped. The backpack dropped to the floor with a loud _thunk_, spilling its contents onto the cave floor. She whipped her head around.

The man who stood before her had been silent; she hadn't heard him come in at all. The first thing her eyes darted to were his mesmerizing green eyes. They were so vivid that they didn't look real – perhaps they were contacts, even. His hair was unusually a long for a man of his age – he seemed to be approaching middle-aged – tumbling around his shoulders in a thick sheet.

Overall, he had a strange, otherworldly look to him that made Luna feel very uncomfortable.

The man spoke again. "Are you a new recruit?" he asked warmly. "It's so nice to know that the youth of today are interested in making a difference. I'm glad we've been getting some younger members."

_Did I just imagine that he said my name?_ Luna thought. "Uh, um, yes, I'm new. B-but, there isn't any time! The Champion of Unova is in the front of the cave, he's trying to get in…"

"You seem quite distressed about it," the man commented. "Which is surprising, since he must have served as a distraction to let you sneak in."

_He knows._ A wave of fear washed over Luna's body. _How does he know? What about Zoe and Grey? Does that mean they've been found out too?_

Luna swallowed. "How did you know?"

The man fiddled with the collar of his shirt, which seemed only slightly pale in comparison to his light gray suit. "Ah, so you really _are_ her. Thanks for the confirmation."

_Oh no oh no oh no…_ It was all Luna could do to not run right then and there. She studied the man carefully. He didn't seem sinister or even evil, which made his presence almost more terrifying.

"You know, Miss Mond, we were searching for you for quite awhile," the man said casually. He pulled a Pokeball from a pocket inside his suit and rolled it over his fingers. "So what compelled you to walk right back into the lion's den?"

Luna inhaled slowly. "I need answers," she said. "About what Team Tenebris wants to accomplish. Who you are. Where my dad is."

"Interesting," the man commented. "So you expect that by sneaking into our base of operations and digging through a few members' backpacks you'll find out all that?"

"I-I didn't…I just…"

The man glanced at his watch. "If you want to get back to Castelia by sundown, you ought to leave soon. The flight takes a couple of hours." He smiled and nodded his head to Luna.

"My name is Alistair. It's been a pleasure, Miss Mond. Now…if you'll excuse me."

Without another word, he turned and began to walk away.

_What just…no! He wasn't like the other grunts. Is he their leader? I could get information! I can't just let him leave!_

Without much thought, Luna suddenly blurted out, "What are the whereabouts of Dominic Mond? What are you trying to do? Why are you here?"

Alistair paused for a moment, but didn't turn around. "If you want answers," he said, "you'll have to keep digging." He continued walking.

"Just remember, though, that if one digs too deep…their mine collapses. So decide now how much you want to insert yourself before it's too late to back down."

_To be continued…_


	22. Chapter 22 - Withdraw

_**Finding You – A Pokemon Black and White Fanfiction – Chapter 22**_

**Withdraw**

_When Touya arrived, the news was confirmed – he is no longer the Champion of Unova. That said, more important matters were at hand – Grey, Luna, and Touya decided to meet up with Zoe near Chargestone Cave to infiltrate the Tenebris ranks and find out more information about their goals. As Touya provided a distraction at the entrance, the other three teens made their way inside, where Luna found their main camp. As she sifted through their items, however, she met a mysterious man calling himself Alistair, who seems to know more than he's letting on… _

Dumbstruck, Luna watched Alistair disappear into the blue shadows of the cavern before her Xtransceiver suddenly rang. Hurriedly she answered it.

"Hey, this is Grey," the voice sounded on the other end. "Have you found anything?"

"Sort of," Luna answered. "I just…I just spoke to someone who I think is a higher-up in Tenebris. He seems to know a lot about me…he knew that we were infiltrating."

"What?!"

"I don't know if we're in danger or not," Luna said, "but either way, I think we should get out of here."

"Agreed. Let's go back to the entrance. I didn't find anything and neither did Pinkie Pie."

Luna sighed. "You know, being a jerk by purposely messing up Zoe's name doesn't make you any cooler."

"Babe, I don't need to be cooler. I'm already the coolest around."

"Grey!"

"See you at the entrance." _Click._

_What a dork,_ Luna thought with a sigh. However, she knew she didn't really mean it. His casual, almost flirtatious dialogue helped her relax as she made her way back through the tunnels.

_It'll all be okay. We'll figure out what Team Tenebris is after, and we'll stop them. No problem, right? Yes. No problem._

As Luna neared the front of the cave, the roars and yelps she heard indicated that the battle was still raging – but much less so than before. Maybe it was a good thing that they were leaving so soon; the battle wasn't going to last much longer, if the fleeing Tenebris grunts indicated anything.

When she exited the cave, she was welcomed by the sight of Touya and his Pokemon defeating the last handful of grunts as the rest of the dark-clothes members scattered. Avoiding notice, she managed to duck behind some foliage and skitter back to the clearing where they had first planned the infiltration.

Zoe and Grey were already waiting. The pink-haired girl didn't mince words.

"We need to get out of here," she said. "We'll discuss anything we learned after we land. But for now, we need to take off. I've already captured a couple of bird Pokemon."

Luna glanced in the direction of Chargestone Cave. "What about Touya?"

"He'll catch up with us. Come on, let's go!"

"So you actually met Alistair?"

"Yes." Luna nodded tersely. "Is he someone you know?"

"Well, not directly." Zoe sipped her milkshake.

The Castelia diner where the trio was eating dinner wasn't very crowded. Although several other tables were occupied and music was playing, Luna still felt that they should be speaking more quietly; the din didn't seem loud enough to conceal the important information they were exchanging. She had already explained how she and Grey were connected to Tenebris, and now they were discussing what happened in Chargestone.

"The hell does that mean?" Grey muttered grumpily. "Just spit it out!"

"You won't know _anything_ if you keep talking to me like that," Zoe snapped.

Luna rubbed her temples. Beside her, Chewy gnawed quietly on a biscuit. "Guys, guys. It's been a long day. We're all tired, and we all need rest. But it's important we discuss this so we can figure out a plan. So please. Don't fight."

Zoe sighed. "You're right. Okay. So Alistair is apparently the leader of Team Tenebris. I've just heard his name around a few times, but I've never actually gotten to see or meet him. He doesn't actually interact with people much in person. Probably for safety reasons."

"Then why would he be at Chargestone?" Grey asked. "Why would he decide to show up there, of all places?"

"Honestly…I'm not sure." Zoe sipped at her shake again. "He might have just been supervising the final project. Which I still don't know yet, by the way."

"Then what good are you?" Grey grumbled.

Zoe ignored him and continued. "From what I can gather, the other sections of Tenebris have been more involved than the one I'm in. If I can sneak my way into a different…what's the word I'm looking for…squadron? Group. If I can get into one of the other groups that are more directly involved, then I'll be able to finally figure out what they're doing."

Luna nodded. "Okay. So then what can I—"

Zoe's Xtransceiver rang loudly. She held up a finger to silence Luna for a moment as she answered the call. "It's Touya…hello?"

Luna wondered when they had exchanged numbers.

"Alright. Got it." She hung up. "Touya was just calling to let us know that he's fine and he's flying back now, but his Braviary's a little tired so they're taking it slow. Now, were you saying something?"

"Well," Luna said, "I was just asking, what should we do next? What can Grey and I do to help?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

Zoe waved over the waitress. "You heard me! You're done for now. Leave the rest of it to Touya and me."

"Whoa, whoa, hold up," Grey said. "You can't just shut us out!"

"Actually, I can." The waitress left the check for Zoe and then walked away. "This is as far as you two go. Touya and I are trained professionals; he's the former Champion, for crying out loud, and I'm a Pokemon Ranger. You two are just normal Trainers."

"We aren't 'just' Trainers!" Grey snapped. "We _are_ Trainers, and damned good ones too! Me and Luna have been involved since almost the beginning, we aren't going to stop now!"

Zoe's golden eyes blazed. "Shut up and just _think_ for a minute! Both you and Luna have ties to Tenebris in one way or another, right? They were trying to _capture_ you just awhile ago! In fact, walking right into their group might have been just what Alistair wanted. Who knows why he didn't just truss you up right then and there?"

Luna shrank back, startled by Zoe's intensity. Chewy growled.

Zoe sighed and crossed her arms. "It's not that I'm trying to be mean. Honestly. But guys, I have training. Investigating Tenebris was my Mission assignment. Involving citizens is not only dangerous, but I'm representing the Ranger Union here; if either one of you got hurt, they would have to answer for my actions. I already took a big risk having you infiltrate with me, and now I'd rather not take another chance like that."

By the way Grey was fidgeting uncomfortably in his seat, Luna could tell that he didn't have a good excuse to counter Zoe's statement. Neither did she.

_She's right. But it isn't fair. I came all the way here trying to figure out what happened to Dad, and now I have to just give it up?_

Grey stood abruptly, so fast that his legs bumped against the table. "Fine. I'm going for a walk."

Luna stared at him. "What? Grey, not in this weather. Look, it's storming outside."

"So what? Just get away from me."

"W-wait a sec—Grey—see you, Zoe, I'll call you later!"

Zoe nodded as Luna scooped Chewy into her arms and chased after Grey, who was already exiting the restaurant.

Outside, it had begun to rain. Luna wanted to take out her umbrella, but she also didn't want to lose sight of Grey, so with a sigh she did her best to avoid the raindrops.

Chewy, however, clearly wasn't okay with her decision. Within moments his tiny yet formidable claws were digging into her arm in protest.

"Okay, okay," Luna said affectionately, "into the Pokeball you go." With a swift movement she was able to return the feisty Teddiursa without losing pace.

The dark-haired boy appeared to keep his pace at a brisk, almost angry walk as he entered the shabbier part of Castelia – near the alley where he and Luna at first met. The rain was coming much faster now, prickling Luna's skin with every drop.

"Grey!" Luna exclaimed. "Grey, stop walking for a second. I want to talk to you!"

He slowed to a stop. "Luna, just leave me alone for a sec. I told you I was going for a walk."

She finally ran up beside him and rested her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. "I know, but—"

"I told you to leave me alone!"

Something was very wrong. Luna straightened and scrutinized Grey carefully. His hands were clenched into tight fists, practically shaking from the tension in his muscles. She hadn't realized how upset he was.

"Grey, I-I didn't realize you were—"

"Alright, there you go. I'm mad, okay? So what! The last thing I need is some heart-to-heart about how I _feel_ or some stupid crap! I told you I was going on a walk, I told you I wanted to be left alone, so just go before you try and spit some advice at me!"

The rain was making this much more dramatic than it had to be. Luna took a deep breath. "I want you to come with me."

Grey looked up. "What?"

"I'm going to head to Nimbasa and challenge Elesa, and I'd like you to come with me."

Grey didn't say anything immediately. Tentatively Luna laid her hand on his shoulder. "Hey. Come on. Let's go to the Pokemon Center tonight, and then tomorrow I'll challenge Elesa in the morning. Maybe we can have some fun in Nimbasa before we go again. Touya showed me some fun places to go."

Luna turned and began walking back the way she came, and to her relief Grey followed her. She tried to ignore the uncomfortable stickiness of her now-soaked clothes clinging to her skin. _I'm glad I'm wearing two layers._

They were making their way back into the busier part of the city. Lines of tiny shops and tourist attractions materialized before them as they strolled, Grey following Luna.

Luna's hand was suddenly gripped and pulled under the overhang of a cheerily lit candy store. In the dreary gray atmosphere of the Castelia evening, the store's warm light seemed cozy and inviting. Grey gently pulled her hand until they were completely sheltered from the rain. "Luna, I'm sorry."

"Grey, you don't have to—"

"Yes I do, okay? I got angry and made you come after me when the weather's friggin' terrible and I didn't even offer an explanation. I'm sorry."

Luna smiled. "Apology accepted."

Grey nodded and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I guess…it's just, I've been wandering around here by myself for so long, you know? And that's great, I don't mind that. I love traveling. I love battles.

"But when I met you and we got involved with the Tenebris thing I thought that maybe, just maybe, I'd actually end up doing something that mattered to other people instead of just doing things for myself. But now I'm just back to where I started and I feel like I'm not ever going to do anything worthwhile."

_I had no idea Grey felt that way. He hides it so well._ Luna wasn't sure what to say. _I don't want to lecture him, though._

"That's not—that's not true!" Luna blustered. Her words came tumbling out in a desperate effort to convince him. "Grey, you've _always_ helped people. When you were little, you used to battle with a bunch of the other kids, right? They probably needed something to help them get out of the house, just like you did. You helped them. And when we first met, those girls, you got in a fight with some guys because they were harassing some girls, right? You helped them. Even me, I've become so much stronger over the past couple of weeks because of our training. You helped _me._ You're one of the most selfless people I know."

Grey glanced at her and smiled. "Thanks."

Luna realized her cheeks were turning red from her outburst. She almost added something more, but decided against it. "So…how about my offer?"

"What offer?"

"Coming with me to challenge Elesa. And…well, maybe you could come with me after that? I mean, only if you want to, there's still lots of badges and –"

"Hmph." Grey folded his hands behind his head. "I don't see why not. I mean, you'll need SOMEONE to make sure you train right."

Luna smiled. "Grey, thank you."

There wasn't much else to add after that. Grey glanced at the street. "Looks like it stopped raining."

_He's calmed down. I think he's back to his old self again._

"Here, let's go to the Pokemon Center," Grey continued. "It's frickin' freezing."

"It sure i—aah-CHOO!" Luna sneezed.

"Geez," Grey scoffed playfully, "you probably caught yourself a cold."

"Maybe I wouldn't have caught it if a certain someone wouldn't run off so much," Luna retorted affectionately.

"Well then," Grey said, "I'll just have to make it up to you, won't I?" He shrugged off the black jacket he was wearing, leftover from the infiltration, and gallantly draped it over Luna's shoulders.

"Grey," Luna said in surprise, "you don't have to—"

"I _want_ to. So shut up," Grey said. "The Center's only a few blocks away."

Luna allowed herself to snuggle under the jacket as the pair walked through the puddles on the sidewalk. She didn't say anything when Grey tentatively put his arm around her.

_Dad, please forgive me. I know I swore I'd try and find out what happened to you…but this is nice too._

* * *

"Roller coasters?!"

Luna grinned at Grey's startled expression. "Well, Nimbasa _is_ known for its entertainment!"

Grey grimaced. "Ugh. Maybe I should stay here."

The Nimbasa Gym was like something straight out of Hollywood. Flashing lights, floating stars and colored platforms made it almost as overwhelming as the amusement park.

The way to get up to the platform where Elesa waited, Luna quickly discovered, was by riding rollercoasters.

"I won't force you," Luna said, "but I'd really like it if you came up to the top and watched me."

Grumbling, Grey positioned himself in one of the cars. "That is, if I can even find a seat. Did you see all the people up there who'll be watching you?"

It was true. Unlike most other Gyms, whose stands remained mostly empty, Elesa's appeared to have hundreds of screaming fans who came to watch her battle everyday. Luna knew she was a model, but hadn't realized how much her fame would affect being a Gym Leader.

Luna looked up to the very top platform. She could barely see the people up there, although their noisy din was loud enough to be heard from below. She gulped. _I can't mess up today. Not when so many people are watching._

Grey was watching her closely. "Hey, it's gonna be fine. People, no people, there's no difference. Elesa might seem intimidating because she has her crazy fans, but she's also a Gym Leader and won't let them affect her, so don't let them affect _you_."

Luna nodded and pulled down the safety bar on the roller coaster, causing it to start moving.

As the coaster steadily zoomed its way toward the top, Luna could hear an elegant woman's voice announcing through a microphone.

"Welcome, everyone! Did you miss me?" Loud cheers.

"It's great to be back from my modeling tour; I've been itching for a good battle. And, from today's participant, I think we'll have one."

_That must be Elesa talking,_ Luna decided.

"Miss Luna Mond of Cherrygrove, Johto, will be joining us for my first battle of the day."

Luna recalled having to sign up at the front of the Gym, putting down her name and some other personal information. Now she knew why; they used the information for her introduction. The roller coaster reached the top platform and slowed to a stop near the curtained entrance to the stadium. Employees ushered Luna through the curtain into a somewhat dark waiting area.

"So everybody, please offer Luna a very warm welcome!"

Following the cue, the employees shoved Luna through the next entryway.

Cheers erupted as Luna made her entrance. Flashing strobe lights shone every which way, practically blinding her. Trying to make her eyes adjust, she looked around. She was on one end of the stadium, emerging from the inside of the surrounding stands. Glancing up, she saw that her face was projected on two large screens positioned on either end of the stadium. Tentatively she lifted her hand and waved, making the crowd cheer louder.

Straight ahead, gracefully walking towards her from the other end of the stadium, was Elesa. She was more dazzling than Luna had imagined. No wonder she was a model – her beautiful figure and long black hair would make anyone envious.

"Ah, she's cute," Elesa said, "wouldn't you agree?" The crowd roared their approval.

Then Luna and Elesa were standing facing each other. Elesa flicked off her microphone and stuck out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Luna. I am Elesa. You'll have to forgive the conditions here – so many people. I hope they won't be distracting. You may even find their support encouraging. I know I do."

Luna shook her hand. "Thank you. And, ah, good luck!"

Elesa smiled. "Same to you." Turning on her microphone again, she exclaimed, "Let the battle begin!"

The roaring crowd was immediately shrouded in darkness, leaving only the Stadium area lit with not only lights from above, but tiny colorful ones all along the edges. Luna took her position on her side of the stadium.

A different announcer, a man this time, sounded above the din. "Begin!"

Both Trainers reached for their Pokeballs. With a graceful spin Elesa released her first Pokemon, Emolga.

Luna had thought out her first choice carefully. _I don't have any type advantages here, so I'll have to be careful. Fortunately, neither does she. Since Emolga is also a flying type, Blaze can go first._ "Blaze!"

The Blitzle, once released, pranced the ground eagerly, so different from his quiet demeanor. _That's the spirit, Blaze._ "Blaze, Flame Charge!"

Blaze charged at the hovering Emolga, fiery sparks catching into flames at his feet.

"Emolga, Aerial Ace!"

The electric flying Pokemon launched into the air just in time to avoid Blaze's attack, then zoomed back down at the Blitzle. Blaze tried to avoid it, but to no avail; it was a square hit. Fortunately, he didn't seem too fazed, and spun to retaliate.

Elesa waved her hand at her Emolga, clearly ordering it to do something that Luna couldn't read. _I'll have to just do my best._ "Blaze, Shock Wave!"

The Emolga was going up for another Aerial Ace, but the Shock Wave attack messed up its flight pattern, causing it to swerve in an unnatural manner.

Luna seized the opportunity. "Thunder Wave!"

Blaze whinnied and sent a paralyzing shock straight at Emolga. Instantly the tiny flying squirrel's wings folded and it fell to the ground with a thud. The crowd gasped in anticipation.

"Emolga, get up!" Elesa ordered. "You can do it!" But the Pokemon was immobilized.

"Blaze, Flame Charge!" Luna ordered. "Then Stomp!"

Pawing the ground, Blaze ducked and initiated another Flame Charge. He slammed into Emolga, causing it to tumble several feet away, before letting out a Stomp attack that finally knocked out Elesa's first Pokemon.

"Impressive," Elesa said as she returned Emolga. "Next up…Flaaffy!"

As Elesa let out her pink sheep Pokemon to the encouragement of the roaring crowd, Luna moved to return Blaze, but then stopped. His fur was still glowing with electricity. "Blaze?"

No, that wasn't electricity. His entire body lit up so radiantly that it stood out even among the overbearing lights. In moments he had transformed into a much larger and sleeker form; Zebstrika.

"Well, well!" Elesa mused into her mic. "An evolution, how exciting! Things are just heating up!"

"Great job, Blaze!" Luna cheered. "I'm so happy for you! I'll let you rest for a bit." Blaze gazed at her, eyes shining in happiness, as she returned him and summoned her next Pokemon.

"Odette! Now's your time to shine!"

The graceful Gothorita posed gracefully as she awaited orders.

Flaaffy's speed let it move first. It rushed at Gothorita in an attempt at Take Down, but she teleported herself behind it and hit it with a Psyshock blast, knocking the sheep to the ground.

"Good, Odette! Another Psyshock!"

"Not so fast," Elesa countered. "Confuse Ray!"

Flaaffy looked up and gazed at Odette. The Gothorita froze for a moment, then stumbled, clearly dazed.

_Darn._ "Odette, return." Luna switched her out for her next Pokemon. "Lamar, let's go!"

"Cottonee, hm? An interesting choice," Elesa said. "Flaaffy, Thunder Wave!"

A pulse of electricity shot at Lamar, but he lightly bounced away. Flaaffy continued to shoot volts at Lamar in pursuit.

"Lamar, Razor Leaf!"

As Lamar moved away from Flaaffy's advances, he shot blades of leaves toward it. Several of the leaves sped past Flaaffy and spiraled into the stadium ground.

"Tch! Flaaffy, Volt Switch!"

Flaaffy charged at Lamar. The Cottonee tried to bounce away like before, but this time Flaaffy anticipated his movements and lunged toward where he was going to be. Lamar skidded backwards from the impact, only to find Flaaffy had disappeared.

_Wait…what happened?_ Luna wondered. _Where did Flaaffy go?_ Elesa smiled. "My favorite trick." Another Pokemon appeared into the fray, but it wasn't Flaaffy. Her Zebstrika had somehow broken out of his Pokeball.

Luna didn't let it faze her. "Lamar, Poisonpower!"

"Zebstrika, Flame Charge!"

The Zebstrika was hurtling towards Lamar at top speed, but the tiny Cottonee bounced lightly into the air, sprinkling poison dust all over the arena. When he got to Zebstrika, though, the horse leaped into the air to reach Lamar. The tiny grass Pokemon wasn't fast enough to dodge and hit the ground in an instant KO.

_Darn,_ Luna thought. "Odette, come on out again! Future Sight!"

Gothorita's eyes flashed. Zebstrika was gearing up for a Pursuit attack.

Luna's heart was pounding. "Good. Now use Psyshock!"

The Psyshock blast hit before Zebstrika could use Pursuit; the effects of Lamar's poisonpower were becoming apparent. Moments later Future Shock hit, taking down Zebstrika for good.

Elesa nodded approvingly. "Excellent work. But you've still got one more." She tossed her last Pokeball into the air. "Flaaffy, one more time!"

_It can't Volt Switch this time,_ Luna thought. "Odette, Future Sight!"

Odette launched her attack just as Flaaffy shot Thunder Wave at her. Instantly she was paralyzed.

Luna bit her lip. "Okay…Chewy, I'm counting on you!"

When Chewy emerged, he snarled menacingly at Flaaffy.

"Okay Chewy," Luna said, "Sweet Scent and Faint Attack combo!"

As Flaaffy began to sniff the air, Chewy surprised it by vanishing and then reappearing with a deep strike. Once it stumbled away, he used Slash with both paws.

"Flaaffy," Elesa ordered, "Confuse Ray!"

_No! I'm so close!_ Luna thought. Too late. A look of confusion crossed Chewy's face as he sat dazedly in the arena.

"Now, Take Down!" Elesa commanded.

Luna shut her eyes. _I COULD send out Blaze, but he's still exhausted after evolving...and there's no way I'm sending out Xander! What should I do?_

As Flaaffy raced towards Chewy, it suddenly slowed and a pained expression crossed its face. It took a few more steps before it stopped and dropped without warning.

_The Future Sight attack!_ Luna realized. _It hit! I won!_

The audience's screams echoed throughout the whole stadium. The strobe lights shone to spotlight Luna.

"It isn't often that Leader Elesa is taken down!" raved the announcer. Luna took it, barely containing her smile. "Thank you, Elesa!"

Elesa shook her head. "You earned it. But, ah yes, I hear you and Touya helped catch some crooks while I was away. Thank you."

The two shook hands, then Luna exited the stadium, the applause still echoing in her ears.

_To be continued…_


	23. Chapter 23 - Uproar

_**Finding You – Chapter 23**_

**Uproar**

_After infiltrating Chargestone Cave, where Team Tenebris was currently operating on an unknown Mission, the group returned to Castelia, where Zoe told Luna and Grey that they would no longer be able to help her investigate. Upset, Grey stormed out of the restaurant, but Luna pursued him and convinced him to continue to travel with her to Nimbasa to get her badge from Elesa, which is just what they did. Now, the pair are heading to Driftveil…_

"So…this is Driftveil?"

Luna nodded her confirmation to Grey's question. "Yep! This is actually the first town I ever set foot in here in Unova. The port where my ship came in is right over there."

She pointed to the Driftveil docks, where all sizes of ships and boats were lined up in the harbor. All around them people walked as Pelippers and Wingulls soared overhead in the sunny morning sky. The coastal town appeared to be very popular with tourists and travelers alike, though from what Luna could tell there didn't seem to be much to look at other than the Market and the Cold Storage—

"There's the Gym." Grey jerked his head in the direction of a rather small but still impressive-looking building north of the dock. "You wanna check it out? You don't have to battle today, but with all the training we did on Route 5, I know you're ready."

Luna glowed at his words. "Th-thanks…yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Together they walked towards the Gym, maneuvering their way through the crowds of people, until they reached the entrance.

"It's a little smaller than I expected," Luna mused. She gave it a thorough glance. "Actually, it's WAY smaller than I expected. How is there going to be room to battle in there?"

"I guess we'll just have to find out," Grey said. He swung the door open and gallantly held it for Luna, who did an exaggerated curtsy before strolling inside.

However, the Gym was quiet. The interior was nothing more than a small lobby with a receptionist counter to the left and a few chairs, presumably for waiting, on the right. On the far end of the room was what appeared to be a large platform of some kind, but other than that, there were no other rooms.

"This is weird," Grey muttered. His sharp blue eyes darted to and fro as he took in the area. "There isn't even a person behind the counter. Weird interior design aside, it looks like the place has been abandoned in a hurry. What happened?"

"The lights are still on," Luna pointed out. "I'm sure someone will be back in a few minutes."

But a few minutes passed, and no one came. Grey stretched. "Let's head back out. Something must be happening that we don't know abou—"

_BOOM._ The ground trembled slightly with the sudden sound of an explosion nearby. Grey and Luna only had to exchange a glance between them before they were dashing outside. Across town, a column of smoke was rising.

"Isn't that where the Cold Storage is?" Luna asked. "Let's go!" As civilians fled from the area, Grey and Luna ran the opposite direction, straight toward the disaster area. As they grew closer, the sounds of battling could be heard – commands, attacks…

The Cold Storage was the very image of chaos. Several Tenebris grunts were battling a large, burly man wearing a cowboy hat, who appeared to be battling with ground-type Pokemon. It didn't take long for Luna to realize that the man was Clay, leader of the Dritveil Gym – but what was going on?

"Tenebris," Grey hissed. "Come on, let's help! Helios!" He released the lean Lucario from his Pokeball and wasted no time launching him into battle. Luna tossed three of her Pokeballs into the air, releasing Chewy, Xander, and Lamar.

"Let's go!" Luna exclaimed. "Lamar, Chewy, Helping Hand! Xander, Aqua Jet!"

As the Dewott launched spurts of water at the Tenebris Pokemon, Lamar and Chewy moved to assist Clay's ground-type team. The hefty Gym Leader had a Krokorok and an Excadrill fighting furiously against four of Team Tenebris's Pokemon – the numbers were definitely unfair.

With Luna's team, however, the battle wordlessly shifted into two Double Battles against the grunts – Clay's Krokorok and Chewy, commanded by Luna, and Lamar and Clay's Excadrill, commanded by Clay. She hadn't meant to be separated from Lamar, but now was not the time to sort out Pokemon.

Luna easily took control, not stopping to think about her unfamiliarity with Krokorok. "Chewy, use the 'Fury Slash' combo! Krokorok, uh…"

Her mind scrambled frantically to think of moves it might know. _Krokorok is a Ground and Dark type. He probably knows more physical moves. With his predatory build, I can probably just improvise._ "Krokorok, Dig, then finish it off with a Crunch attack!"

The brown crocodile Pokemon coolly obeyed, easily furrowing into the concrete slab before popping up behind the Tenebris grunts' Pokemon and biting it mercilessly.

Their numbers were dwindling. The grunts were quickly returning their Pokemon and fleeing into the streets, vanishing into the cracks and corners of the darkest parts of the town. Gradually there were only three grunts left, then two, before the last of them fled and the three Trainers were left with their exhausted Pokemon.

Helios seemed exhausted. Grey high-fived the mighty Lucario before returning him to his Pokeball. Luna's own Pokemon were tired too; she quietly returned them while whispering praise into their ears.

"Hey." When Clay spoke; Luna jumped; his voice was deep and throaty compared to Grey's. "I don't know who y'are, and quite frankly I don't give a damn. But that was some mighty fine battling back there. I 'preciate the help."

"No problem," Luna said. "That was Team Tenebris, wasn't it?"

"You've heard of 'em, huh?" Clay returned his Pokemon. "Pretty famous 'round these parts…this ain't the first time they've been here either. Years ago, that same bunch set fire to the marketplace. Everybody thought they were disbanded fer good."

"Apparently not," Grey said. "Why were they here in the Cold Storage?"

Clay shook his head. "Beats me. This bunch just showed up and started a ruckus. They scared away the workers 'n took over. But now that they're gone, it don't look like nothing was messed with."

Grey frowned and kicked at a piece of rubble on the ground. "Weird."

"Definitely weird," Luna agreed. She took in the damage that the battling had caused – holes in the ground and broken chunks of building were only some of the evidence. "This is going to take awhile to clean up. I…I guess scheduling a Gym battle is out of the question for now, isn't it?"

"There's no need," Clay said. He dug his hand into his vest pocket and pulled out a badge. "The battle today has been evidence enough of yer skills. A battle'd be useless at this point."

Luna stared at the badge in his enormous hand. "I…I couldn't possibly—"

"Dammit, girl, when someone offers ya a gift, just take it!" He grabbed her wrist and pressed the badge into her palm. "Controllin' two Pokemon at once – 'specially when one of 'em ain't even yers – ain't an easy feat. Not a lotta Trainers can do that and yer level. My job is to see if yer good enough to get the badge, and you are. So here's the Quake Badge."

Luna could only stare at the badge for a few moments in stunned silence. "Th-thank you so much!"

"Don't mention it, kid. Now git outta here before I change my mind. We'll take care of the cleanup."

* * *

As Luna and Grey sat waiting for their Pokemon to heal in the Driftveil Pokemon Center, Grey whistled. "Impressive. You got a badge without even having to battle the Gym Leader!"

"I know," Luna agreed. "It…I guess I'm happy about it, but this doesn't feel right…"

"Listen," said Grey, "you totally smoked 'em out there. Clay saw that and decided that battling you himself would be pointless. A Gym Leader's job is to measure the Trainer's skill and determine if they're worthy of their Badge. Whether or not they do that by battling you personally is up to them."

Luna grinned. "You act awfully smart for a guy who decided not to take the Gym challenge himself."

"I don't _act_ smart, I _am_ smart. And besides, I might decide to do the challenge one day. You never know." Grey scratched his head. "I just wonder what Team Tenebris was doing at the Cold Storage…"

Luna's Xtransceiver rang. "Hang on, Grey. That might be Zoe." She moved her finger to answer it only to do a double-take at the number. It wasn't one she recognized.

"I don't remember adding this number," Luna said. "I wonder who it could be?"

It continued to ring. Grey leaned in so he could take a glance. "I thought your settings were so that only people who were in your contacts could call you."

"So did I." Another ring. "W-wait a sec! I remember now! This is…I met this Tenebris girl when we were at Chargestone, and I sort of ended up exchanging numbers with her. Grey, she'll recognize me if I answer. What should I do?"

"Cover up the screen with your other hand," Grey suggested. "Quick, answer before she stops calling!"

Without further hesitation Luna answered, quickly slapping her right hand down over the screen so that her face could not be seen through the Xtransceiver's camera function. "H-hello?"

"Hey, newbie!" the girl exclaimed. "Where are you? I've been looking for you, but I haven't seen you around!"

Luna thought fast. "I, ah…I'm at Cold Storage." She decided not to mention that Tenebris had been chased out. "Where are _you_?"

"Cold Storage, huh? Good job, I heard they were the distraction unit. Anyway, I'm on my way to the main mission right now," she said proudly. "You know, Abundant Shrine? So that we can capture Landorous? He's supposed to be the toughest of the Kami Trio. Anyway, the reason I'm calling is because Alistair wants everywhere from all the stations to come help with the capture effort here. If we're lucky, they might get it done before I even get there, but—"

Luna's mind raced. _Landorous? Kami Trio? Has this been what Tenebris was after all along – Legendary Pokemon?_

She decided to try for a question that was relatively safe. "What about…the rest of the trio?"

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence on the other end. "Uh, where've you been? They were already captured. Duh. We finally got Thundurus in Chargestone Cave. You should have been told this. Are you sure you're—"

Grey grabbed Luna's wrist and pressed the 'end call' button on the Xtransceiver. Luna stared at him, aghast. "Grey! We were getting information!"

He shook his head. "We have their location and we have their motivation. That's all we need to know, really. Let's call Touya and Zoe so that they know what's happening. I don't know what they're planning to do with the Kami Trio, but it can't be anything good."

Grey stood up to go pick up their newly-healed Pokemon from the counter as Luna dialed Touya. Her heart pounded. _Zoe and Touya were going after Team Tenebris. They probably already know what's happening, but what if they aren't able to stop it? I just hope they're okay…_

When Touya picked up, static crackled as he spoke. He was practically yelling in order to be heard over the background commotion from wherever he was. "Luna! Thank Arceus!"

"Touya!" Luna exclaimed. "Touya, Grey and I just learned something about what Tenebris is trying to do—"

There was more crackling, and a beastly roar, followed by rumbling. Lots and lots of rumbling.

"It's too late!" Touya shouted. "Landorous was just captured. I'm so sorry. I'm so—"

His voice was overwhelmed by the wind and rumbling to the point where Luna couldn't hear anymore. She repeatedly called Touya's name into the Xtransceiver, but there was no response.

Then, the Xtransceiver abruptly lost connection, followed by a loud beep and an automated voice saying "We're sorry. The connection between you and your contact has been severed. To redial, press…"

Luna hung up without letting it finish. She hadn't even realized that Grey was back from the counter and standing next to her, struggling to hold all of their Pokeballs in his arms.

"Something _really_ bad has happened," Luna said shakily. "I couldn't tell, but I think Touya was at Abundant Shrine. He said they captured Landorous."

"So I heard." Grey handed Luna her Pokeballs and pocketed his own. "Try Zoe."

Luna breathed a silent prayer as she dialed Zoe's number and waited, but the same beep and automated message played.

Grey ran his hands through his scruffy black hair. "Arceus," he muttered. "What should we do now?"

_To be continued…_


	24. Chapter 24 - Ominous Wind

_**Finding You – Chapter 24**_

**Ominous Wind**

_When Luna and Grey arrived in Driftveil, they found that the Cold Storage was under attack by Team Tenebris. They worked together with Gym Leader Clay to fight them off, and as a result of their superb battling Clay gave Luna the Quake Badge. Shortly after, Luna received a phone call from the girl she encountered at Chargestone Cave; as it would turn out, the Cold Storage attack was just a distraction from Tenebris's real operation – obtaining Landorous, the third and final Pokemon of the Kami Trio, at Abundant Shrine. Luna and Grey attempted to contact Touya about their new information, only to be cut off by static, but before he hung up he was able to get out one thing – "It's too late. Landorous has already been captured."_

Several times now Luna had seen Grey hit a dead end from frustration or anger, but never had she seen him look so…lost. He slumped into the chair next to her and held his hands to his temples. "Shit."

The Driftveil Pokemon Center seemed far too cheery in light of what just happened. Luna inhaled a deep breath.

"I'm going to call the girl again," Luna said decisively. "If Landorous has already been caught, then she'll know what's next. And maybe this time, we can get there before they carry out their plans. After that, I'm gonna try to contact Zoe and Touya again. We _have_ to reestablish contact with them."

Grey nodded. "Good plan." He sat up. "Alright. Dial her number."

Luna dialed the Tenebris girl's number and waited patiently. She ran through what she wanted to say in her head, taking a deep breath when the girl answered. "Hello?"

"Did you hear?" Luna exclaimed, doing her best to sound excited. "They did it! They already captured Landorous!"

The surprise on the other end of the line was genuine. "Really? I…oh my gosh! Yes! I gotta admit I'm a little bit disappointed that I couldn't be there, but still…we really did it. I…hey, where did you go a few minutes ago anyway?"

"I didn't have service," Luna answered quickly.

"Right…anyway…I guess this means the end of all this will be coming soon. You'll be there, right? You don't wanna miss out."

"Of course," Luna said. _No matter what._ "So…where do we go from here?"

Suddenly the girl's tone was angry. "What's with you? I know you're new and all, but geez, you never have a clue! Can't you –"

Luna quickly hung up. "I'm gonna try Zoe again."

Grey grunted his acknowledgement and stood by as she dialed a second number.

This time, it rang. Luna held her breath. Judging by the commotion that had been going on when she had contacted Touya, if Zoe was nearby, there was a chance that she might not answer. And that would be very, very bad.

_Click._ Luna waited. Then, a very faint transmission came through. "Luna?"

"Zoe!" Luna and Grey exclaimed at once. _Oh, thank goodness._ "Zoe, we know about Landorous. What—"

The static from before was still there. Zoe's voice could barely be heard. She was saying something, but Luna couldn't make it out.

"Zoe, I can't hear you," Luna said. "I can't hear what you're saying…"

There was a thunking noise, as if Zoe was tapping her Xtransceiver. This time, she came in a little more clearly.

"Touya's hurt. They're doing something at Dragonspiral Tower. Meet me in Icirrus City. I repeat—Touya's hurt, meet me in Icirrus—"

The connection was lost and the call ended abruptly. Luna looked at Grey and saw her own fear reflected undisguised on his face.

"What the hell is happening?" he whispered.

_To be continued…_


	25. Chapter 25 - Nasty Plot

_**Finding You – Chapter 25**_

**Nasty Plot**

_Luna tried to call Zoe once more, but barely got through. The only thing Zoe was able to say was, "Touya's hurt. They're doing something at Dragonspiral Tower. Meet me in Icirrus City."_

Icirrus City was cold. Too warm for snow, that is, but cool to the point of feeling like late autumn when it was actually the middle of summer. When Luna and Grey descended from the skies on the back of a rented Pidgeot, Luna shivered – though whether it was from the chill or the current situation, she didn't know.

Zoe was already waiting for them in the front of the Pokemon Center. Luna practically tripped over herself running up to her – she almost went in for a hug, but drew back when she noticed Zoe was in full Ranger uniform. As long as she was safe, reunions could commence later.

"Zoe!" Luna exclaimed. "I'm—I'm so glad you're okay. When I called you yesterday I wasn't sure if—"

"I'm okay," Zoe interrupted, giving Luna a reassuring smile, "but it's Touya I'm concerned about. He's in the hospital right now. Let's go; I have a _lot_ to fill you in on."

_The hospital?_ Luna gulped. _I knew she said he was hurt, but I didn't know it was bad enough to the point of him having to be hospitalized…_ "Will he be okay?"

"…yeah." Luna didn't like Zoe's hesitation. "I mean, he had a pretty bad head injury. They think it's just a concussion, but they're keeping him for a couple of days just to make sure he'll be okay."

"I see…"

Grey elbowed her. "Hey, he'll be fine. We'll go in there and he'll probably have that dumb grin on his face like always. He's the Champion; he can handle this."

"He's sleeping right now," Zoe explained as they reached the hospital entrance. "He probably won't be awake for awhile." Seeing Luna's concerned expression, she added more gently, "he really is gonna be fine. He just won't be able to join us when we go after Team Tenebris."

"Speaking of which," Grey said, "Luna and I are still in the dark about what happened."

They strode through the lobby of the hospital and rode an elevator up to Touya's floor. "It's gonna take awhile to explain. I'll tell you everything after we get to see Touya. We can talk in his room."

They reached his floor and exited the elevator; Touya's room was just a few steps away. As the trio quietly entered the room, Luna sharply inhaled at what she saw.

Touya really didn't look too bad, all things considered; he was lying comfortably in the hospital bed, peacefully sleeping, his scruffy brown hair spread out all over the pillow. Aside from a single IV tube poking out of his arm, he looked fine – worn out, but fine.

Still, the sight of a dear friend in a hospital bed was enough to make Luna uncomfortable. She swallowed her fear and forced herself to go in and sit in one of the visitor chairs by the window.

"Here's what happened," Zoe said, speaking quietly so as to not wake Touya up. "Touya and I kept digging after we left Castelia. We finally figured out their plan – Tenebris has been after the Kami Trio. They had already captured Thundurus and Tornadus, and their final mission was to get Landorous at Abundant Shrine."

"But how could they just…go and capture them?" Luna asked. "They're legendary Pokemon, aren't they? They can't be _that_ easy to find…"

Zoe nodded. "They aren't. The whole reason Tenebris has been causing all this destruction – earthquakes, fires…is because natural disasters lure out the Kami Trio. I'll get back to that in a minute.

"Anyway, when Touya and I arrived at the Abundant Shrine, there were lots of Tenebris grunts there – too many, in fact. Even with Touya's team and my Capture Styler we weren't able to get through the grunts in time. Alistair was already in the shrine, and he had already managed to capture Landorous – but not before the shrine was practically destroyed. In its resistance, Landorous caused several earthquakes that made parts of the shrine fall apart, and Touya was hit with some of the debris."

"You're meaning to tell me that it's that easy to capture a Legendary Pokemon?" Grey exclaimed. Luna urged him to quiet down, but he kept going. "Most people don't even get to _see_ one, let alone capture them!"

"He used his numbers," Zoe explained. "Team Tenebris is a lot stronger than it was a few years ago. Landorous was weakened just with the sheer force of the number of Pokemon that were attacking him."

Grey rubbed his eyes. "But _why_ do they want the Kami Trio so bad? What good could come from getting a Legendary Pokemon? Wouldn't something bad happen, like, say, unleashing the wrath of nature or some shit?"

"That's the worst part." Zoe swallowed. "I finally figured out what Tenebris has been after this whole time."

Luna and Grey leaned forward expectantly.

"The Tenebris members have been fed lies," Zoe said. "They think that what they're doing – causing disasters all over the place – is good. You see, according to the ancient legend of the Kami Trio, Thundurus and Tornadus used to rampage all over the Unova region, causing all sorts of damage and destruction wherever they went. The people of Unova used to live in fear of them, which is why they referred to them as 'gods of destruction'. "That is, until Landorous stepped in and subdued both Tornadus and Thundurus with his power. From then on, the Trio never rampaged again.

"But…from there on is where Tenebris gets it wrong. Alistair convinced the Tenebris members that an ancient stone tablet predicted that the Kami Trio would rise again to continue their rampage of destruction. By capturing the Kami Trio, they think that they're stopping the inevitable destruction. They think that causing smaller disasters is better than waiting for big ones. But Alistair is lying. The Ranger Union analyzed the tablet and its translation says that the Kami Trio have entered a time of everlasting peace, not destruction."

Luna and Grey sat in a stunned silence for a few moments before Grey spoke. "Lemme get this straight. So, long story short, Alistair managed to convince Team Tenebris that the Kami Trio are going to rise again and destroy Unova, so by causing smaller disasters to lure them out, they wanted to capture them and keep them from wrecking everything? But that's not true, so we don't actually know what Alistair's after, which is why we need to stop him before he does whatever he's planning to do."

"A+ review," Zoe said with a weak smile. "That's it, pretty much. Tenebris is gathering at Dragonspiral Tower right now, but I couldn't go there because I had to get Touya to the hospital." She stood. "I need to make a call, so I'm going to step out for a minute. I know all of this is moving quickly, but…there isn't a lot of time to sit and think about it. We're going to need to work quickly if we want to put an end to what they're doing once and for all."

As she exited the room, Grey let out a long sigh and rubbed his eyes. "Arceus. What did we get ourselves into…" He stood up. "I better go pick up Touya's Pokemon from the Pokemon Center. I'll be back in a few minutes. You should probably stay here with Touya in case he wakes up."

"Okay," Luna agreed. "See you in a few." Now alone, she turned to Touya's sleeping form.

_What_ did _we get ourselves into? When I first set out to find you, Dad, I never thought that this where I'd end up…_

She gazed out the window. The Icirrus sky was cloudy and gray. _What if we can't do it? What if we can't stop them? If Touya and Zoe couldn't even manage to stop Tenebris at Abundant Shrine, then how can we expect to defeat them at Dragonspiral Tower, when they're all there?_

_For better or for worse, I definitely have a feeling that the end of all this is coming soon. But I promise that no matter how this turns out, Dad, I'll keep searching for the truth as long as I have to._

_To be continued…_


	26. Chapter 26 - Bide

_**Finding You – Chapter 26**_

**Bide**

_After meeting Zoe in Icirrus City, Grey and Luna headed to Touya's hospital room to visit him and hear what Zoe and Touya had learned about Tenebris's plans. It's a lot to take in, and now they'll have to work together to stop Team Tenebris once and for all…_

"Uhh…Luna?"

Luna whipped her head around to see Touya stirring awake. The teen boy looked groggy and disoriented as he moved to sit up, propping himself up on his elbow.

"Touya!" Luna exclaimed happily. "You're awake!" Not bothering to hide her smile, she scooted the chair she was sitting in closer to his bedside. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly? Pretty hungry," he admitted sheepishly. "I—wait, what you doing here anyway? Where am I?"

"This is the Icirrus hospital," Luna explained. "Grey and I flew here after I tried to call you. Zoe told us about what happened."

Touya's expression grew pained as the realization of what happened hit him. He flopped back onto the bed. "Ah…that's right. Landorous…and the rocks…" He closed his eyes. "We need to go stop Team Tenebris—"

"_You_ aren't going anywhere," Luna insisted firmly. "You have a head injury. The doctors want to keep you here for a couple of days just to make sure you're doing okay."

"But—"

A gentle knocking sounded before the door to Touya's room swung open. Both Zoe and Grey entered the room.

"You're finally awake," Zoe commented casually, though Luna could tell she was relieved. "It's nice to have you back with us."

"I got your Pokemon from the Center," Grey added, plopping the six Pokeballs in Touya's lap. "The nurse said they were a-ok."

Touya breathed out a sigh. "Good."

"Tenebris is gathering at Dragonspiral Tower," Zoe said, resuming her brisk business tone. "From what I can gather, Alistair is there too – and he has the Kami Trio. We're going to have to act quickly if we're going to stop them. We go in tomorrow. And Touya, you won't be coming with us. You need to stay here and rest."

Touya's gaze flickered between the three other teens in the room before letting out a resigned sigh. "Alright. You win. I'll stay here. But I expect to be updated constantly. Also, do the police know what's been happening?"

Zoe nodded. "Yep. They'll be there tomorrow. So will Rangers. I contacted the Ranger Union and requested reinforcements; about ten other Rangers will be there tomorrow. The whole shebang."

"I guess you've got it all taken care of then," Touya said with a weak smile. He closed his eyes and grimaced. "Man, my head hurts."

"Do you want us to get the doctor?" Luna asked worriedly.

"In a bit. I sorta just want some time to think, though."

"Understood," Zoe said. "We'll leave you alone for awhile. C'mon guys, let's go."

"Wait," Touya said. "Luna, stay here for a sec. I want to talk to you."

Luna shot a glance to Zoe and Grey, but stayed put as they exited the room. "What is it?"

Touya studied the Pokeballs in his lap for a couple of moments. "I want you to take my Pokemon tomorrow," he said finally. "I want you to take them with you to Dragonspiral Tower and use them to fight Team Tenebris."

Luna was aghast. "What?"

He gazed at her steadily with dark brown eyes. "You heard me. If I can't be there, then my Pokemon can, at least. They don't need verbal commands. They know what to do."

"I…I'd rather not take responsibility for anyone's Pokemon but my own," Luna said honestly. "Touya, if they get hurt in my care, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."

"I've been there for you when you needed it," Touya said quietly. "Please, can you repay the favor, just this once? I want to stop them no matter what. If they get hurt, that will be on _my_ head, not yours. Please."

He scooped the Pokeballs into his hands and held them out, waiting for her to take them. With great hesitation, she grasped them into her own hands.

"Okay, I'll take them."

* * *

Later that evening, Luna made her way up to the hospital's rooftop. The sun had already set, but the last few streams of golden light could be seen just over the horizon.

Icirrus was definitely cooler than other towns, but with a jacket on it was perfectly comfortable. Luna zipped up her hoodie all the way to her chin and leaned against the safety railing, thoughtfully taking in the scenery.

Earlier in the afternoon, Zoe had informed Grey and Luna of her plan.

_"I want you two to come with me and the Rangers to Dragonspiral Tower tomorrow," she said. "The unfortunate thing about the policemen here is that their Pokemon are meant to be used to bring in criminals, not battle them. We may need your help making our way up to where Alistair is, so prepare tonight. Get any healing items and equipment you'll need. We'll leave early."_

_Everything's happening so fast,_ Luna thought to herself. _I don't know if I'm ready._

In the distance, the Dragonspiral Tower was barely visible against the skyline. Above it, ominous clouds rumbled.

_I wonder if those clouds are natural or if they're caused by whatever Alistair's doing to the Kami Trio…_

Luna heard a door open, then footsteps. She turned. Grey was approaching from the stairway shoulders hunched against the chilly wind.

"Yo," he said. "What's a pretty girl like you doing out here all alone?"

Luna smiled weakly. "Just thinking, I guess."

"Mm. There's a lot to think about."

He joined her by the railing and took in the scenery with her. For a few tense moments it felt as though one of them was about to say something, but then didn't.

Finally Luna managed to spit out what she was going to say. "I wish Touya was going to be with us tomorrow. We could use his skills."

Grey nodded. "Yeah."

Luna glanced down at her newly-fastened belt on her waist that now held Touya's Pokeballs. "He…he gave me his Pokemon to battle with tomorrow. To take with us in his place. I guess that'll help."

"I saw you sitting with him…do you like him?"

_That was…completely…what kind of question is that?!_ "W-what?"

"Do you like him?" Grey asked casually.

"I…"

_Honestly, I've asked myself the same question and never completely answered it. DO I like Touya?_

She thought about what Touya had said to her in his hospital room. _I've been there for you when you needed it._

Had he really? The time they had spent together – the day in Nimbasa, the Ferris Wheel, infiltrating Chargestone Cave, even the boat ride over to Unova…were those all times she needed him? Or were they just for fun?

Touya wasn't there when Laddie died. Touya wasn't there when she needed a lift to Nuvema Town. Touya wasn't there giving her advice on how to deal with her Pokemon. Zoe was.

Touya wasn't there fighting Team Tenebris side-by-side with her. Touya wasn't there cheering her on in Gym battles. Touya wasn't there to lead her out of the darkness of the Relic Castle. Touya wasn't there draping a jacket around her shoulders in the rain.

Grey was.

Luna was so lost in thought that she almost forgot Grey was still there. She glanced at him anxiously only to see him calmly gazing back, quietly waiting for a response.

"I don't like him in…_that_ way," Luna said finally. "I've had a lot of good times with Touya, but overall he's just a friend. For awhile I thought I might like him," she admitted, "but in the end, I think I might have confused those feelings for admiration. He was the Champion, after all."

She recalled the times when she had watched Touya battle – his fierce determination at the Nimbasa amusement park, his cool intensity at Chargestone…

"Whenever I saw him battle, I thought it was amazing, and I realized that want to be like that. But I don't think that's the same as…liking him…you know?"

"Mm. I see."

_What a mouthful._ Luna thought. _I hope Grey isn't annoyed._

But he wasn't. Instead, he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts now, his dark eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he stared blankly ahead.

Luna wasn't sure if she should say anything or leave him to think, but eventually she decided an attempt at changing the subject would be best. "Grey…do you think…do you think maybe I'll get to find out what happened to my dad tomorrow? Alistair seemed to act like he knew when we were at Chargestone."

"I don't know," Grey admitted. There was a pause. "What do you think you're gonna do after this? If you find out what happened to Dominic?"

"I don't know," Luna said. _This conversation is going around in circles._

"Mm." Grey rubbed the back of his neck. "Hey, Luna. If I tell you something, you gotta promise not to laugh or anything."

"Sure." Now she was concerned. "What is it?"

"I…Arceus, this is gonna sound dumb, but…thanks for letting me travel with you."

"That's not dumb at all!" Luna exclaimed. "But…but you're saying it like it's over. Just because we're going up against Team Tenebris tomorrow doesn't mean I'm going to stop journeying."

"But what if we find out what happened to Dominic?" Grey asked. "I thought the whole reason you started your journey was to find him. If you do find him, what then?"

He turned to look at her and Luna found herself being startled by the intensity in his eyes. It wasn't so much a look of determination, though, like she'd seen in him so many times before. This time, it was more like…sadness?

"I didn't realize it before, but I was frickin' _lonely_ travelling by myself for so long. I mean, sure, I have Helios, but a Pokemon's company just isn't the same as a human's, you know? If it can be helped…I'd rather not end up by myself again. …do you feel the same way?"

Luna, still looking at Grey's eyes, hadn't noticed that he was starting to lean closer. It took her only a moment to realize: _Is he…is he going to kiss me?!_

Clumsily she stumbled back a few steps. It was more out of instinct than anything; having never been in an even remotely romantic situation before, Luna had no idea how to react.

As if intentionally ignoring Luna's awkwardness, Grey pointed up at the sky. "Hey, look. You can see the stars tonight."

The moment was gone. Luna forced herself to breathe deeply, hoping that her pounding heart would slow down soon. "Y-yeah…"

Grey folded his arms over the railing and leaned forward. "It's been awhile since I really got to do any stargazing, y'know? I guess it's because we've been so focused on the Tenebris stuff, but…yeah. Anyway, you ever do any stargazing?"

"Not really," Luna admitted. "I mean, I think they're pretty, but I guess I haven't taken the time to look at them too closely."

"Alright then. Follow my lead." Grey moved back from the railing and sat by the door that lead to the stairway, his back leaning up against the smooth stone walls. He motioned for Luna to sit next to him.

"Since you're a novice stargazer, I guess I'll have to start with the basics. That constellation up there, the one that looks like a pot with a handle? That's the Big Dipper."

"I know what the Big Dipper is!"

"Oh really? Okay then, smartstuff, what's that cluster of 'em over there?"

"Ursaring Major."

"Luna, I thought you told me you had never been stargazing! Fine, I bet you can't get this one. What's that big white thing up there?"

"That's the moon, you dork!"

They had slipped back into their casual friendly banter so easily, Luna was beginning to wonder if she had just imagined that Grey was going in for a kiss. _I'm sure I just imagined it. I'm so tense thinking about tomorrow that I'm jumping to conclusions._

"Okay…that one over there, what's that one?"

"I don't know."

"Yes! Finally, I get to be the smart one! That's Mew…"

As Grey enthusiastically explained the Mew constellation to her, Luna's eyes flickered down from the sky to his face. His expression was so bright and free from tension.

_I can't imagine just leaving Grey after I find Dad. Well, I mean, of course not. Dad will probably want to see him too. But then what? Will I just go to Dad without a second thought to Grey?_

_Don't think about it, Luna. Don't think about anything right now. Just focus on tomorrow. I'll need all the concentration I can get._

_To be continued…_


	27. Chapter 27 - Tri Attack

_**Finding You – Chapter 27**_

**Tri Attack**

_At the Icirrus hospital, Touya finally woke up, and Luna, Grey and Zoe informed him of the plan – they were to go to Dragonspiral Tower the following day without him. Touya was disappointed, but he asked Luna to take his team with them so that he could be of some help, at least. Later that night, Luna and Grey talked on the rooftop, where she realized that she only liked Touya as a friend and not a love interest; but how she feels about Grey is yet to be determined…_

* * *

Luna, Grey, and Zoe made their way to Dragonspiral Tower early that morning – it was 4:30 AM by the time they arrived. All throughout the previous night, Zoe had been keeping an eye out on the tower, and the increase in activity near the area was too great to ignore any longer.

Luna glanced over to the pink-haired girl. Despite her all-nighter, Zoe didn't appear the least bit tired; the weight of what was happening probably would have made it difficult to sleep anyway.

Then she glanced at Grey. His eyebrows were furrowed into a look of thoughtful concentration she was growing used to, but he didn't seem particularly nervous or anxious.

Luna wondered if these feelings of anxiety were solely hers, then. Neither Zoe nor Grey were reflecting the anxiousness she was feeling. She hunched her shoulders in her jacket and tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach.

_Today's the day._

Dragonspiral Tower seemed strangely silent. Luna wondered if Team Tenebris was even in there. But according to Zoe, she had been monitoring the tower all night, and the Tenebris grunts were inside. And according to the strangely dark swath of clouds that were circling the tower overhead, _something_ was happening, though whether or not it was serious was hard to determine.

The sound of fluttering wings jolted Luna out of her thoughts. She looked up. From the dark early morning sky descended a flock of Staraptor with Rangers on their backs. One by one they landed near the trio and dismounted before releasing the Staraptor back into the sky. In their crisp, professional uniforms they seemed almost daunting, although Luna knew she shouldn't feel intimidated; they were there to help.

Zoe greeted the Rangers as Luna and Grey hung back uncertainly. She gestured for them to join the group, though, so reluctantly they made their way to the edge of the group and listened to Zoe's idea.

"Here's the plan," Zoe said. "The Tenebris grunts are inside the tower, presumably with Alistair at the top. We Rangers are going to take thelead and make our way through the Tenebris grunts by capturing as many of their Pokemon as possible. Luna, Grey, you two will back us up in the rear. We'll fight our way through the tower until we reach the top, where we'll hopefully be able to apprehend Alistair and release the Kami Trio. Does anyone have any questions or concerns?"

Everybody shook their heads.

"Okay then." Zoe grasped her capture styler tightly in her hand. "Then let's go."

Quietly the group slipped into the castle, hoping to go unnoticed. However, hopes were quickly dashed as soon as they were inside. Despite the quiet exterior, the whole floor was swarming with Tenebris grunts.

The Rangers and Trainers stood their ground as one of the grunts strode towards them. "We've been expecting you," he said. "This is your last chance to back down."

"No way!" Zoe said fiercely. "You guys have it all wrong! What you're trying to do is the opposite of good!"

"Alright then. We're not going to hold back."

"And neither will we." Zoe held out her styler. "CAPTURE ON!"

Chaos ensued. The Rangers' capture discs zoomed all around the first floor, leaving behind colorful streaks of light in their wake.

Grey released his Lucario. "Helios, let's go!"

Luna instinctively reached for her own Pokeballs strapped to her wrist, but then hesitated. _Maybe now would be a good time to use Touya's Pokemon instead._ She grabbed the six Pokeballs from her belt and released them.

"Emboar! Seismitoad! Simisage! Braviary! Reuniclus! Beartic! Let's go!"

The six massive Pokemon materialized simultaneously and turned to her for orders just as Tenebris grunt Pokemon slammed into them.

Luna gritted her teeth but forced herself to focus. "Emboar, Fire Blast! Seismitoad, Earthquake! Braviary, Wing Attack! Reuniclus, Psychic! Beartic, Ice Beam! And Simisage, use Razor Leaf. Fight them off with whatever moves you can!"

The power of their attacks made the tower shake violently. Luna was thrown to her knees but managed to get up quickly. The Rangers were making impressive work of the grunts; most of them were already defeated. Some attempted to run away, having no other means to fight back, while others were being arrested by the Rangers.

From the corner of her eye Luna could see Zoe gesturing frantically. "Luna, Grey, let's move! We need to move up the tower as soon as possible!"

As Luna and Grey followed suit behind the Rangers, their Pokemon trailed behind them, eager to get back in the fray. Near the front, the Rangers quickly captured the Pokemon of the grunts trying to block their path, leaving the grunts subdued by the time Luna and Grey reached them.

The invasion on Dragonspiral Tower was going well, but Luna knew she couldn't relax yet – not until Team Tenebris was completely disbanded.

"Luna," Zoe called from the front lines, "send Touya's Pokemon up here. If we get jumped it will be helpful to have them up here."

Luna nodded and gestured for the Pokemon to move to the front fo the group.

After a few minutes of intense jogging, the group finally reached a long hallway that seemed to split into two different corridors. The group slowed to a halt.

"I'm not sure which way to go," Zoe admitted. "I thought that the tower was one single path all the way up. I didn't anticipate this."

Grey frowned. "Should we split up?"

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Zoe murmured. "I guess we should just try both and see. But where should we check first?"

"Let's try the right first," one of the Rangers suggested. "I mean, it's either one or the other."

"Okay," Zoe agreed. "Let's go."

As the Rangers moved inside, Luna noticed Grey hanging back. She stopped and turned to him. "Grey? What's wrong?"

"Something…" he muttered. "This entryway…" He turned towards the corridor on the left. "It looks different than the one over there…"

Luna followed his gaze. The entry to the corridor to the left seemed far more eroded and natural; the one on the right seemed…more clean-cut.

Then it dawned on her. "Zoe, wait! I think it might be a trap!"

Too late. As Luna opened her mouth to speak, the tower trembled slightly and the entryway to the right corridor began to collapse. Luna felt her arm being yanked away to the center of the hallway as an onslaught of rocks and rubble tumbled down into the entryway.

Luna hadn't even realized that she had squeezed her eyes shut until she tentatively tried to open them. The dust from the sudden collapse was still settling, but through the haze she could see that the entire right corridor was filled with rubble.

She and Grey were both huddled together in the center of the hallway, but now she scrambled to her feet, desperate to know if Zoe and the Rangers were ok. "Zoe? ZOE!"

"We're okay!" came a muffled cry from behind the rocks. "So are Touya's Pokemon. Everybody is alright."

Luna breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

Grey strolled up behind her. "Well, now we've gotta figure out how the hell we're going to clear out these rocks. What's the situation on the other side?"

"The other side of the rocks is just a small room," Zoe said. "We're pretty cramped in here. Looks like Team Tenebris purposely created this room just for trapping intruders."

"We could try and dig away with the rocks with our hands," Luna suggested.

"No," Zoe said. "That'll take too long." There was a moment of quiet. "You and Grey will have to go up without us."

"What? No way!" Grey exclaimed. "We're not going up there alone!"

"You have to!" Zoe snapped. "The rocks didn't fall in a neat pile, so there's a whole bunch of them scattered around in here; there's not enough room to do any captures, so we can't use Touya's Pokemon to clear the rubble yet until we make more room. It's dark and it's crowded and we can try and move the rocks onto the pile to make room, but it's going to take awhile. By then, it could be too late. You have your Pokemon, right?"

Luna gingerly touched the Pokeballs strapped to her wrists. "Y-yes…"

"Then use them. You've been training long enough, you can do it. You too, Grey; both of you. We'll be up as soon as we can. Until then, please just do your best to stop them."

Grey blew out a long breath between his lips and ran his hand through his hair. "Shit. I guess we don't have a choice."

Luna shook her head. "Grey, I don't want to go up there without the Rangers," she said in a hushed tone. "There were so many grunts on the lower levels and now if it's only two of us I—"

Grey gripped her shoulders. "Calm down. Breathe. Don't be afraid, we can do this."

She shook him away. "It's not that! This isn't like the other times we fought Team Tenebris! If Alistair is at the top with the Kami Trio, then my Pokemon and Helios aren't going to be enough! I'm not _afraid_, Grey, I'm just using common sense!"

"We don't have much of a choice," Grey snapped. "It's either we risk it and retreat or go forward and possibly end all of this for good! Are you with me or not?"

"I'm with you," Luna muttered. "I just don't want anything bad to happen."

"It won't," Grey said confidently. "Let's go."

* * *

Twice more Luna and Grey encountered grunts, often grouped together in large groups in the various floors. Luna felt less confident now that she didn't have Touya's Pokemon with her, but to her surprise her own team was holding off the grunts just as well as Touya's had been.

"Your team's stronger than I thought it was," Grey commented offhandedly after another swept group of grunts dashed away.

"I think so too," Luna agreed. "I haven't fought any Gym Leaders since Elesa, but if I had I might be able to gauge how strong they are now."

"I bet you could probably get your last few badges right now if you wanted to," Grey said.

"Really?"

"Really."

In the midst of their conversation, it had taken Luna a few moments to realize how quiet everything had gotten. "Grey, it's so quiet now. Silent, even."

"I noticed," he agreed. "We're getting near the top. Are…are you nervous?"

"A bit," Luna admitted, "but weirdly enough I mostly just feel…calm. If Alistair has some answers on what happened to my dad, then this will be what my whole journey has led to up to this point. I guess the real question here is, are _you_ nervous?"

"Nah," Grey said. "You know me. Nerves of steel!"

"So you say," Luna teased. "Need me to hold your hand for you?"

"I wouldn't mind that," Grey said with a grin.

"Grey!"

"Ssh," he said suddenly. They had reached a staircase that presumably led to the top of the tower. "I think we're close. Are you ready?"

Luna nodded.

"Ok…let's go."

The top of Dragonspiral Tower felt cold from the wind spiraling around it. Despite the darkness from the early morning skies, the area was still well-lit enough for Luna to take in the scene – crumbling pillars were scattered throughout the area atop the rustic tower floor, with a few rocks and cracks along the walls, and…

Alistair. Standing calmly by himself at the top of the tower, juggling three Pokeballs in his hands. He looked up when Luna and Grey entered, though he didn't seem the least bit surprised.

"It was so easy to manipulate them," Alistair murmured. "Team Tenebris. You make up a few lies, back it up with some credentials and before you know it you have followers."

"Release the Kami Trio!" Luna demanded. "Legendary Pokemon are to be left alone; anything could happen otherwise!"

"Oh, okay. Yes, I suppose I'll release these Pokemon that I spent so much time and resources on capturing now just because you said so." Alistair gripped the three Pokeballs tightly in his hand. "I think not."

"You see how all those clouds have gathered above us?" Grey asked. "The wind? Yeah, it's doing that because the Kami Trio are here and they aren't supposed to be. I don't know what you're planning but you can't mess with legendaries!"

"Can't I?" Alistair murmured. "It seems I already have, haven't I? Look at you. The Kami Trio are just Pokemon, and yet the way you're panicking indicates to _me_ that you'd do almost anything to have them released. No one would ever react that way with what you deem as "common" Pokemon. Legendaries are the only way I can get my goal."

"What are you after?" Luna asked. "What has all of this been for?"

Alistair shrugged. "Power? Control? I enjoy the feeling of being in charge, of knowing that I have followers bent to obey my commands. I enjoy the feeling of being able to achieve what I want through others, knowing that they have no choice but to do as I say.

"The Kami Trio will be able to provide me with that kind of power. With all three of them under my control, I'll be able to obtain virtually anything I want because no one will be able to defy me."

"Men like you shouldn't be able to have that kind of power," Grey snarled.

"You know, it's funny, there was another person who said that to me once," Alistair mused. "Ah yes, his name was Dominic. You're his daughter, aren't you, Luna?"

Luna gulped. "Yes."

"Then I suppose you'd be interested in learning the truth."

_To be continued…_


	28. Chapter 28 - Nightmare

_**Finding You – Chapter 28**_

**Nightmare**

_Luna, Grey, and the Rangers began the attack on Dragonspiral Tower. All was going well until Zoe, the Rangers, and Touya's Pokemon became trapped in one of the corridors, leaving Luna and Grey to have to confront the rest of Team Tenebris by themselves. Upon reaching the top of the tower, they encountered a chillingly calm Alistair, who apparently wanted the Kami Trio because of the power they'll give him – as long as they are in his captivity, he can use them as bargaining power to obtain almost anything he desires, or otherwise unleash the trio's wrath upon Unova. Luna and Grey attempt to make him release them, but not before he offers to reveal what he knows about Dominic's whereabouts… _

* * *

"I do want to know the truth," Luna said. "But only if you'll surrender."

"Here's a proposal," said Alistair. "I'll tell you what I know about Dominic. In exchange, you spin around and stroll back home to let me continue my business."

"Like that would ever happen!" Luna snapped.

"Besides," Grey cut in, "for all we know you don't have any more information than we do."

"I highly doubt that," Alistair said. "Perhaps you'd like a little incentive." He reached into the back pocket of his trousers and pulled out a small book. "Does this look familiar?"

"Why should it?" Grey snapped irritably. "We don't have time for this!"

"Wait a minute." Luna peered closely at the journal's cover. It was charred and damaged, but it was intact just enough so that she could recognize the familiar leather cover. "That's…that's my dad's journal! He used to write in it all the time at home! Why do you have that?!"

Alistair smiled, his lips just barely twitching upwards as a sinister expression settled on his face. "Hmm. Let's look inside it, shall we?" He opened the journal around the middle, flipped a couple of pages, and started to read an excerpt.

"_I'm a failure. I'm such a failure. To my research, to myself, and most of all…my family. I don't know how I was able to do it – divorce Ellen, that is. It all feels so surreal, like a dream…no, a nightmare … Oh Luna, my daughter, my baby…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for leaving you behind…_"

Luna instantly felt a lump catch in her throat that she struggled to speak through. "No. Don't read it."

He flipped some more pages. "Fast forward a bit… '_I guess I'm depressed, but right now I just feel…numb… I feel like the life I've led so far has been meaningless. I've accomplished nothing worthwhile; my Pokemon psychology research? What does that even matter now?'_ Wow, it seems he was very depressed after he left the house. I bet you never knew he was feeling so low, did you?"

"That's enough!" Grey snarled. He whipped out a Pokeball. "Helios!"

Alistair saw what was coming, though, and in an instant his hand reached for his trouser pockets. Whipping three Pokeballs into the air, he released three Pokemon – a Magneton, Victreebel and Pidgeot.

"Not so fast, sonny," Alistair said. "I have more where they came from. Stand back."

Grey's hands clenched into fists. "Helios, stand down."

Luna glanced at the three new Pokemon. _Magneton, Pidgeot, Victreebel…they're all Kanto Pokemon…_

Alistair turned his attention back to the journal. "I suppose I shouldn't try and read all of it to you right now – there's a lot here." He skimmed through the pages. "Nothing special – he went to Castelia and ended up disbanding a group of delinquent street battlers, and later befriending their leader, a young boy named Grey with a neglectful and abusive father. Sound familiar?"

Grey was practically trembling with rage. "SHUT THE HELL UP! SHUT THE HELL UP YOU BASTARD!"

Alistair ignored him. "Turns out that boy's father was a member of – surprise surprise – Team Tenebris. But after our heroic Mr. Mond stopped one of Tenebris's plans in the city, the boy's father ran off, leaving little Grey all alone."

Grey said nothing, though his emotions were barely constrained as Alistair read.

"Skip a few more pages," continued Alistair, "and Dominic's pursuing Team Tenebris in an attempt to take them down, which eventually led to me. Oh, what a battle that was. His team against mine. We ended up setting fire to the Driftveil market. It was fantastic. Though his words hardly do it justice.

"_' I've never battled anyone like this before, Luna, not even the Kanto Gym Leaders back when I was a Trainer. Somehow, though, I managed to win, but in the process the area around us caught fire from the blazing attacks of our Pokemon… all I could see in him was an insane madman who just wanted to watch the world burn…'_

Luna's eyes remained on the journal. "It's almost at the end."

Alistair nodded. "So it is! Bravo for noticing. There's only one more page left after that. What do you suppose it says?"

"I don't…stop it. Stop reading it, I've heard enough!"

"_'Maybe my work here will make up for my leaving you behind…Somehow, I feel that everything will turn out for the best...I think I'll come back to see you…That's it. I'll purchase a ferry ticket tomorrow. I can't wait to see you again. I love you, Luna. I'll see you soon!'_

"That journal was written shortly after defeating me," Alistair said, snapping the journal shut. "Now, why do you suppose he never came back?"

Luna shook her head. "That's it. No. Don't say anything else."

"This is the part that wasn't in your daddy's precious journal. Despite me ending up in prison, I was able to escape several months later thanks to the help of one of my former Tenebris followers who hadn't been arrested. What was his name again? Ah, yes. Seth Brant."

Grey's eyes widened. "What…"

Luna turned to him. "What is it?"

"That…that's my—well, he was my dad. How the hell did he…"

"How did he elude the police for so long? I've no idea." Alistair shrugged. "But after helping me escape, I went on to reform Team Tenebris. However, Seth went on to do something that would later be known as Tenebris's first comeback crime, although in truth it had nothing to do with us at all. Would you like to know what it was?"

Neither Luna nor Grey said anything.

"He blew up a ship. It killed lots of people. Quite a shame, really – brutal even for my standards. As it so happens, a Pokemon professor named Dominic Mond happened to be on board."

_No._

"That's not true!" Grey screamed. "You're a lying bastard!" He turned to Luna, and though she could tell he was trying to keep himself together tears were forming in the corners of his eyes. "Luna, you can't listen to him! None of that was true!"

_No. I don't believe it._

Luna tried to keep herself from falling apart, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't stop the tears from trickling out of her eyes as the lump in her throat overwhelmed her ability to speak.

"Luna?"

She shook her head. _I don't even know what to do right now._

"You have no proof of anything you just said!" Grey exclaimed at Alistair. "We can't trust you!"

"Funny. I have his journal right here. About half of it was charred by the explosion, but I was able to save the rest. And – ah yes, weren't you wondering why I have Kanto Pokemon?" He pulled two more Pokeballs from his pockets and released two more Pokemon, a Rapidash and a Nidoking. "Do these look familiar?"

Luna looked them over carefully. _Wait…oh no…they…they can't be!_

_Those are…_

"I didn't have time to train more Pokemon after my own team was taken away, so I figured I should just take someone else's. Dominic's were the only ones that held a candle to mine. Aren't they stunning?"

_He has Dad's Pokemon. He has his journal. How could he be lying?_

"That's it," hissed Grey. "Release the Kami Trio now, or we'll fight you for them!"

_I…I'm really never going to see Dad again…_

"Be my guest." Alistair returned all the Pokemon but Nidoking and Rapidash, then snapped his fingers to summon his first two Pokemon forward. "Go!"

Luna felt like she was going to pass out. _I…I can't do this._ Weakly she released her team from their Pokeballs – Chewy, Xander, Blaze, Lamar, and Odette. Tears stung in the corners of her eyes.

_There's no way I can do this anymore. Dad…_

"Nidoking, Horn Attack," said Alistair. "Rapidash, Flame Charge."

Luna looked up. _I…I have to…_ "X-Xander, Aqua Jet!"

As the Dewott rapidly fired bursts of water towards the fiery horse Pokemon for a quick KO, Luna struggled to keep her emotions under control, but it was just too hard to concentrate. Beside her, Grey was battling furiously with Helios in a double battle with her against the Nidoking, but she just wasn't able to focus.

_I can't fight Alistair in this condition. There's no point anyway, is there? I found what I was looking for. If my dad couldn't even stop him, then how could I?_

_I feel like I'm going to pass out. It's just too much._

Luna's legs buckled under her and she fell to her knees. Grey looked over in alarm. "Luna?"

_I just can't._

Alistair sent out Victreebel to replace Rapidash, and Xander turned to his face his mistress worriedly.

_No, wait. You have to snap out of this, Luna. You can't let him win._

Grey had been a fair distance away, attempting to command Helios from another angle, but now he was rushing toward Luna. But with a quick movement Alistair's Victreebel shot a vine toward his leg and flung him violently into the wall. Luna's head shot up. "Grey?!"

"What, did you really think I wanted to battle this out civilly?" Alistair said with a smirk. He returned Victreebel to its ball. "You're in my way. I'm not going to simply let my plans be decided by a win or loss by battle. Pidgeot!"

The fierce bird Pokemon burst forth from its Pokeball in a shower of golden feathers and Luna was instantly reminded of when Dominic left.

_"I'm sorry, honey. But I have to go." He knelt down and met her at eye level. "Tell you what. In a few years from now, when you become a Pokémon Trainer, meet up with me in Unova. Because that's where I'll be. Promise?"_

"Pidgeot," exclaimed Alistair, "Aerial Ace!"

_"Promise."_

_No!_

Luna braced herself for the Pidgeot's attack, but it never came. Instead, a bright flash of golden light burst in front of her and she had to close her eyes from the harshness of it.

When she opened them, her jaw dropped in astonishment. Pidgeot skidded across the floor and into one of the pillars. In front of her stood an Ursaring and a Samurott, newly evolved, protecting her from the Pidgeot's blow.

_Chewy…Xander!_ _My first two…if they're going to give it their all, I can't just sit there._

_We are a team. And we'll fight like one!_

Luna pulled herself to her feet as Alistair whistled. "I'm impressed. Two evolutions at once! But will they be enough?"

"Yes," said Luna. "They're my team. I know we can do it."

"But your father is dead. There isn't anything worth fighting for."

"You're wrong!" Luna exclaimed. "Even…even if Dad's gone, I'm not fighting for him. I'm fighting for _myself._ And for the Kami Trio. And for Unova! And with a little help, I know that I can win. Chewy, Slash! Xander, Razor Shell!"

Slowly she tried to move closer to Grey, but a fissure from one of Nidoking's attacks struck dangerously close. Chewy roared and threw himself at it in a furious flurry of snarls and claws.

_I can't get close to Grey…_ She glanced over to see that he was sitting up. He signaled a weary thumbs-up and she breathed a sigh of relief. _All I can do now is battle Alistair full-on. But what about the Kami Trio?_

Alistair switched out Pidgeot for Victreebel, and Luna knew now that she had the type disadvantage. "Xander, Chewy, switch opponents!"

Chewy launched into a raging onslaught of slashing attacks toward Victreebel as Xander moved past towards Nidoking. It and Xander slowly circled one another, eyes locked, waiting for the other to attack.

_Wait for it, Xander,_ Luna thought.

"Nidoking," Alistair commanded, "Megahorn!"

"Fury Cutter!"

Xander narrowly slid out of the way from Nidoking's attack, then sliced it with its scalchops as he evaded. Nidoking roared in pain as Xander finished off the blow with a Water Pulse.

Chewy and Victreebel were locked in combat as they struggled to land in hits on one another. Victreebel's vines were wrapped around Chewy's arms as Chewy swiped furiously toward Victreebel.

Before their grapple could move any further, a cloud of purple powder spewed from Victreebel's mouth toward Chewy. The Ursaring desperately tried to evade the powder but it surrounded his head in a violet cloud, making him cough as he inhaled the Poisonpowder attack.

_No! Chewy's been poisoned!_ Luna glanced to where Alistair was now releasing Magneton into the fight. _I have to switch out Xander, but…Chewy…who should I switch out first?_

Her hesitation cost her; Alistair didn't wait to give Magneton a command. "Shock Wave!"

The electric pulse moved through the floor and resounded through Xander's body, causing him to howl in pain as he was shocked. Luna made her decision.

"Xander, return! Go, Odette! Psyshock!"

As the Gothorita immediately unleashed the psychic blast, Luna turned her attention to Chewy and Victreebel. Chewy was very quickly becoming weaker as the Poisonpowder took effect and as Victreebel's vines relentlessly sliced deep cuts onto his arms.

Luna whipped a Full Restore from her bag and sprayed it toward Chewy. "You've got this, Chewy! Roar!"

Chewy let out ground-shaking roar that echoed off the tower walls. Victreebel moved back, but didn't retreat entirely. From the corner of her eye, she saw Grey – who had managed to get up onto his feet – give a subtle nod.

"Chewy…Fury Swipes!"

"Victreebel," Alistair commanded, "Leaf Tornado!"

_Yes!_

Under the distraction of the flurry of Leaf Tornado, Chewy was able to move closer to Victreebel while remaining undetected – but so was someone else. Grey crept closer to Alistair, whose eyes were focused on the battle, and reached for the three Kami Trio Pokeballs that were fastened to his belt.

Then everything happened at once. Alistair realized what was happening and lunged for Grey, but not before the black-haired boy flung the Pokeballs toward Luna. While the Pokemon were still battling, Luna dove towards the Pokeballs and pressed the buttons to release the Kami Trio.

At once a cloud of thunder and lightning formed as the Trio rapidly spiraled out of the Pokeballs. The force from such powerful Pokemon being released flung Luna into the air until she skidded into one of the tower's stone columns. The Trio's mighty roars shook the entire tower as rubble crumbled from the walls.

A whirling hurricane of wind spiraled within the center of the tower roof and for a split second Luna saw them – the Kami Trio, in all their glory, together and free once more. For a moment they seemed to glance at her before the tornado became more intense, and Luna squeezed her eyes shut.

A few moments later, the wind died down and there was nothing left but an eerie silence. Luna tentatively blinked open her eyes. Her Pokemon, and Alistair's, were scattered all over the rooftop's floor.

Grey, who had also been thrown back for the second time from the winds, staggered to his feet. "Is it over?"

"It's over." Luna pulled herself up. "I think…I think the Kami Trio swept Alistair away with them. He's gone."

Luna stumbled in her haste to race toward her Pokemon, who were slowly getting up on their own. She sighed in relief as they made their way toward her, all unharmed.

Blaze nudged her cheek worriedly and she smiled. "It's ok, Blaze!" she said, half-laughing. "I'm fine. You're ok, aren't you? Though thankfully, you didn't even have to battle."

Chewy stood on his own behind the other Pokemon, nursing his paws, injured from Victreebel's vines. Luna made her way toward him and gently took his claws into her hands. Though they would now be scarred from this battle, they were the same paws she had grown familiar with even when Chewy was a Teddiursa – ferocious and sharp, yet they only seemed gentle when in his mistress's hands.

"You did great, Chewy," she said quietly, standing on tiptoe to reach the top of his head to scratch his ears. "I'm so proud of you."

Grey had been whispering his own quiet praise to Helios as he returned the Lucario to his ball, but now he joined Luna and her party near the center of the tower rooftop. "Look at that sunrise. Isn't it gorgeous?"

It was. Nothing had ever been a more welcome sight than the golden sunlight streaming just beyond the edges of the tower walls. As the sky grew light, it became apparent just how bruised and battered the group was, how weary they all seemed, but it wasn't in vain – victory requires a price, after all.

Grey glanced over to where Alistair's Pokemon were huddling together, isolated from the rest of the party. "What are we going to do about them?"

"I'll take them," said Luna, without hesitation.

Grey looked at her skeptically. "Are you sure? They don't even recognize you. They won't be easy to raise."

"Of course they won't." Luna quietly made her way towards them, keeping her hands visible to show she wasn't a threat. "Alisair's – no, Dad's – Pokemon have been through a lot. They're damaged. But with enough nurturing and healing, they _will_ recover."

She very cautiously approached Pidgeot, who was dragging a wing on the ground. At first, it fluttered backwards, and the other Pokemon shuffled uneasily. But ever so slowly she reached her hand toward it, and when she felt its smooth feathers she eased her hand onto its head and began methodically stroking it. It didn't flinch away from her touch.

She turned to Grey. "See? I think it's possible."

Grey smiled. "I believe you." His eyes darted to something on the floor, and he bent over to pick it up.

"Look," he said. "It's your Dad's journal. Do you want it…?"

Luna shook her head. "Not right now. Maybe later I'll look through it, but…well, you can look after it for now."

Grey nodded and shoved it into his back pocket. "I guess that's it."

"Let's go."

* * *

"Luna…I wanted to ask you something."

The journey back down the tower was quiet, with only Grey and Luna's footsteps echoing off the walls. Luna's team resided in the Pokeballs on her wrists; Dominic's, at her belt.

"Go ahead."

"I was wondering…well, you know how you said you'd like the truth about Dominic, but only if Alistair surrendered? He didn't surrender, but told us anyway. I think he did it because he knew it could wreck you – us – emotionally. And it almost did. So…how the hell did we end up winning?"

"I…well." Luna tucked her hair behind her ears. "To be honest, I think that, deep down, I realized somewhere along the way on my journey that I wasn't going to see Dad again. I didn't consciously think about it – I don't think I even consciously knew it – but somehow…somehow I guess I felt it. So when Alistair told me of all of that, I mean, it was a shock, but at the same time…it was more like I had to come to terms with _myself_ more than what happened to Dad. Does that make sense?"

Grey nodded. "I guess so. So…you're okay then?"

"Are _you_ okay?"

"I think so."

Luna smiled. "Then so am I."

_To be continued…_


	29. Chapter 29 - Morning Sun

_**Finding You – Chapter 29**_

**Morning Sun**

_One year later…_

A Staraptor soared high above the region of Unova, silently coasting the winds as it passed over miles of trees and landscape. Upon coaxing from its rider, it swooped into a deep turn and slowly spiraled downward into a tiny seaside town called Nuvema.

Before the Staraptor even touched the ground, its rider leaped off its back and practically tripped over herself racing to the door of the small building that was located next door to Professor Juniper's lab. The girl knocked rapidly five times on the door and rocked back and forth on her heels impatiently as she waited for an answer.

"I-I'm coming!" came a muffled voice from within. "Please hold on just a second – " Quick footsteps could be heard as the resident of the building rushed to the door and flung it open. "Wha…Zoe?"

The pink-haired visitor laughed. "Surprise, Luna! Have you missed me?"

"Of course!" Luna exclaimed, embracing Zoe in a quick hug. "Come on in!"

Zoe stepped inside the building and was immediately welcomed by a warm atmosphere. The main room of the residence had a small sitting area and lobby, with several hallways leading to different rooms.

"Sorry to drop in on you like this," Zoe said. "But I was just assigned a Mission in Kanto and I thought it would be neat if I dropped by your new breeding ranch on the way over. It looks great!"

"Thanks," Luna said shyly. "It's not up and running yet, but Professor Juniper hired me to help her run it—what am I saying? You already know all that!"

"It's not like we've been keeping in touch for the past year or anything like that," Zoe teased. "By the way, loving the hair. It looks so different now!"

Luna hands flew to her wavy strands that now hung past her shoulders. "I know! But I love long hair so much better. I gotta say, though, you never mentioned to me that you got a haircut. You look really great!"

Shyly Zoe brushed her hand through her now-short hair, cropped in layers that barely reached halfway down her ears. "Hehe, thanks. I don't intend to keep the pink much longer, though. I might just let it go back to brown, which is what my hair is originally."

A muffled voice sounded from another room. "Arceus, all that girl talk is killing me! You don't see each other for a year and all you can talk about is hair?"

Grey shuffled into the lobby area, presumably from his room, because he was wearing a t-shirt and shorts and seemed to have just woken up. Blearily he looked at Zoe. "It's like, 8:30 right now. Do Rangers always hit the road this early?"

"Earlier, actually," Zoe corrected. "Good morning sleepyhead! Congrats on completing the Gym Challenge, by the way. Are you planning on challenging the Elite Four?"

"I've thought about it," Grey said, flopping into one of the chairs next to the girls. "I dunno, though. I kinda like this breeding ranch setup that Luna and the Professor have been working on. Luna told you about it, right?"

"I did," Luna said. "Zoe knows that the Professor hired me to help her run the new breeding ranch. And that I've decided to be a Breeder." She glanced to the back door. "You want to see how Dad's Pokemon are doing?"

"Sure," Zoe agreed. "Let's go!" The two girls walked to the door and headed into the backyard.

Luna's team, and Dominic's, all were peacefully meandering about the yard. A small pond was in the corner of the fenced area, and nearby were a few planted trees that Chewy soundly slept under.

The Pokemon looked up when the group entered their abode but then soomed resumed their activities. Zoe let out a whistle. "Impressive. How long did it take you to calm down Dominic's Pokemon again?"

"It was several months before they really got used to me," Luna admitted, "but I think they're starting to remember me from before. It's still going to be a long process, though."

"I bet…did he only have five Pokemon?"

"Dad had one or two other Pokemon that were boxed," Luna explained, "but he released them before he left home. The only one unaccounted for is his Starmie, so…while I hate to think about it, I think it died in the explosion on the boat. It must have been out of its Pokeball." She sighed. "All I can do now is work with these ones."

"Has it been worth it?" Zoe asked. She turned to face Luna. "Do you ever regret turning over to breeding?"

Luna gazed out at her Pokemon relaxing freely in the yard. "Well…I'm still up for a battle every now and then, but ultimately I think this is a better fit for both me _and_ my team. I've never really had the ambition to try and pursue a title or position battling Pokemon; from the start, finding Dad was my motivation for becoming a Trainer, and while battling is fun I'm happy if I can just be with my Pokemon.

"Working this breeding ranch means that I can provide a healthy home for my Dad's Pokemon as well as my own without having to travel, so…I think to pass up that chance would be pretty dumb on my part."

"I gotcha." Zoe glanced at an object protruding from Luna's back pocket. "Oh…is that Dominic's…?"

"His journal? Yeah." Luna pulled the damaged book from her pocket and cradled it in her hands. "I finally worked up the guts to read it through entirely the other day."

"Was it…um…"

"I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it," Luna said honestly. "It felt wrong to be reading through Dad's personal journal, but at the same time, I feel more sure than ever about my decision. Dad wouldn't want me to try and pursue dreams that aren't my own – I can see now that he just wanted me to be happy. I think the best way for me to honor his memory is to follow my own path, so that's exactly what I'm going to do!"

Before Zoe could reply, a loud ringing sounded from the device at her belt. "Whoops. That's a voicemail from Professor Hastings. I better hit the road, skies, WHATEVER pretty soon. Again, sorry to drop by so suddenly!"

"No way! It's not any trouble at all." The two girls embraced in a quick hug before Zoe hopped the fence and raced away.

"Good luck!" Zoe yelled.

"Thanks!" Luna yelled back. _Bye, Zoe._

* * *

It was almost nightfall when the gentleman approached the new breeding ranch. He had asked for directions for many miles in his search for Nuvema Town, having taken the journey on foot, and was just now reaching his destination.

The man had snow white hair and familiar blue eyes, framed by dark-rimmed glasses that always slid down his nose. At his belt was only one Pokeball.

As he stepped onto the patio of the breeding ranch's threshold, he hesitated. For a brief moment he considered not even going in at all.

But those thoughts were dismissed just as soon as they slipped into his mind. He had waited long enough. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand to the door and knocked.

_End_


End file.
